A Witch In LA
by Unwritten Whispers
Summary: Hermione is vacationing in LA and goes to Angel for help with a problem. On the way she meets the Sons of Ipswich. Why does Reid look like Malfoy? Speaking of Malfoy, why can't she stop thinking about him, and what could Angel possibly need her help with? Add in Spike, Faith, and Lindsey, and things get crazy... HP/Covenant/Angel x-overs! Based between PoA and GoF! MORE INSIDE!
1. Four Sons Meet A Witch

**Disclaimer: I only own the plot. Characters belong to JK Rowling, Joss Whedon and JS Cardone (the writer of The Covenant)!**

**I know I have 8 in-progress stories already, but this has been on my mind for a week now and I can't ignore it... it's actually getting in the way of my other stories. And I'm too excited to just write it and not post it up. It's a threesome between HP, Angel and The Covenant.**

**Full Summary: Hermione is vacationing in LA with her parents during the summer after her third year. While on vacation, she meets a vampire who becomes obsessed with wanting to make her his queen and an owl to Sirius and a call to Remus has her on her way to Angel Investigations for help with her problem. On her way there, she meets the Sons of Ipswich who are also on vacation in LA. Reid resembles a certain cockroach that she just recently slapped, and she can't look away. Upon meeting Angel, she comes in handy with something they need help with and the Sons are willing to help as well. What happens when she learns just exactly why Reid looks so much like Malfoy? Harry and Ron are never going to believe her summer!**

Four Sons Meet A Witch

"Bloody stupid Sirius," thirteen year old Hermione Granger muttered underneath her breath, stomping her way through the streets of Los Angeles, "Stupid bloody stalking vampires, stupid bloody Fudge…"

It's been only one week since Hogwarts got out, and two weeks since Hermione helped Harry clear his newly found godfather from all murder charges and put him into hiding. Of course though just because Sirius has been proven innocent didn't mean that the Prime Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, believed that Sirius was innocent. He still had all the Aurors on the lookout for the infamous Sirius Black. Clutching the tiny black purse closely to her side, Hermione saw that she only had about an hour left until the sun went down…

After rescuing Buckbeak – who now went as 'Witherwings' – Sirius went into hiding at his family home, Number twelve Grimmauld Place. Of course though, this meant that he couldn't leave the safety of his home, and Professor Dumbledore and Professor Lupin made sure that Sirius didn't even leave under the pretense of his Animagus, Padfoot. Not understanding too much about the magic world, but not appreciating how their daughter came home more stressed than when she left at the beginning of the year, Hermione's parents thought it would be better to take a magic free trip to America. Hearing how Hermione was going to America, Sirius asked her to please bring him back some American sweets; claiming that they were better than British muggle sweets and wizarding sweets combined. Of course being a muggle-born witch, Hermione disagreed with his taste in sweets, but nonetheless she obliged. She was going to pick some American sweets up for Ron and Harry anyway, and didn't mind the task.

It was on her first night in LA, that it happened. Hermione's parents allowed her to walk to the little sweet shop around the corner from their hotel. Although she was only thirteen years old, they knew she would be safe – being the sweet little innocent muggle dentists that they were, they didn't realize they were vacationing in demon central – and trusted Hermione to be able to use her wand to defend herself against some type of American mugger that they always see in movies. That was when it happened; she was approached by some wanker vampire who didn't seem to accept the fact that she didn't want to be his queen. Normally, Hermione would be able to fend off a simple vampire attack thanks to her recent school year with Professor Lupin teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts, but this wasn't a normal attack. This vampire was stalking her. He claimed to be in love with her and that he wanted her to rule the world with him, and do all sorts of other inappropriate things that a proper thirteen year old lady shouldn't even be thinking of.

That was what led her to this ungodly walk of hers right now. Not wanting to bother her parents with 'magical nonsense' she owled Sirius and called Professor Lupin. They both shared the same advice…

"Do you remember me teaching the class about the vampire Angelus who was cursed with a soul by the gypsies, Hermione?" Professor Lupin asked her in a worried tone once he heard that one of his former students was being stalked by a mental vampire.

"Of course Professor," Hermione nodded her head although she knew he wouldn't be able to see her, "Angelus was one of the most vicious vampires in the world. He was sired by Darla, and then he sired Drusilla. Drusilla then sired William the Bloody, and together the four of them wreaked havoc on all towns and villages, not leaving a single survivor behind. Angelus made the mistake of torturing then killing a gypsy one night, and her tribe cursed him into having a soul. After leaving behind the still dangerous trio, he disappeared for a century before emerging again. He is now currently living over a Hellmouth and fighting off vampires side by side with the slayer. He's claiming his redemption."

Chuckling at how Hermione still acted like the know-it-all student she was in class over her summer holidays, Remus agreed with her. "You're right Hermione, twenty points to Gryffindor."

Blushing, Hermione giggled, "Sorry Professor. Sometimes it's hard to forget that I'm not in school. So what does Angelus have to do with my little problem?"

"Last year," Professor Lupin began explaining, "Angelus left Sunnydale and moved to Los Angeles. He is now working in a private investigator type of scene with Miss Cordelia Chase who became a Seer. They also have the slayer, Miss Faith Lehane, working with them."

"I thought she was evil?"

"She was," clearing his throat, Professor Lupin explained it to her. "During the graduation of Sunnydale High that took place last year, the mayor was killed by the original slayer and her friends and of course Angelus. Miss Lehane was in a coma, and woke up a week later. After some rough trials, she moved out to LA to work with Angelus on redeeming herself. They now have a tiny little office in the heart of LA, and they help people."

"Perfect!" Hermione shouted into the phone, excited to finally have help in fixing this situation.

_Hermione,_

_ I'm terribly sorry to hear that you have an undead admirer. Have you tried telling him that you are underaged and you just aren't ready for a serious relationship yet?_

_ -Padfoot_

After replying back with a harsh letter that had too many words a proper young lady shouldn't even know exists and a suggestion of what he could do with his foot, Hermione got a more serious reply from the man she went from fearing to loathing – but admiring at the same time – in only one days' time.

_Hermione,_

_ You should wash your quill hand with soap young lady! If Moony were still teaching you lot, I would have him take fifty points from Gryffindor for such vulgar writing. (And I'm a bloody proud Gryffindor, mind you) How do you even know about those sorts of acts? Anyway, there's a vampire with a soul named Angelus who lives in LA. He has some sort of investigation thing going on, and he'll be able to help you. On the other side of this letter, I've written down his address for you. Let me know if your stalker problem gets more serious or if you can't get to Angelus. Witherwings and I wouldn't mind a flight to America._

_ -Padfoot_

So now here she was; holding Sirius's letter in her hand and a map in the other, with her wand hidden safely in her back pocket. Hermione knew that the Ministry would never be able to trace the magic back to her if she had to use it because the trace was more on the area around her home than on her wand or herself, but she still felt weary about having to use it herself. She made her way throughout the streets of a foreign land, trying to beat the sunset so she wouldn't be caught on her own by the vampire stalker or any other vampire who would catch her. She was so immersed into her thoughts that she hadn't noticed the hooded figure until he was already running with her purse.

"Hey!" she shouted out, running after him. "Give me back my bloody purse."

The four brothers were walking around the streets of Los Angeles and teasing Pogue about his new relationship with Kate. Blushing lightly at the teasing of his brothers, Pogue heard the shout from behind them. Turning around, he watched in amusement as a tiny girl who looked no more than thirteen or fourteen was chasing after a man holding tightly onto a purse. Shoulder lengthened chestnut hair flew all around her, resembling an insane person with frizzy hair. They could see the rage in her golden colored eyes and the annoyance in her thinly pressed lips while she continued to run. They also took in her outfit; a purple colored blouse with blue jean shorts and black shoes. She seemed to be only a couple feet behind the man.

"Reid," Tyler suddenly said, nudging the blonde with his elbow. When Reid looked at him, he pointed at the girl, "Look what she just grabbed out of her pocket."

Looking back at the girl, Reid's jaw dropped. "It's been years since I've seen one of those, brothers."

Also noticing the wand in the girl's hand as she pointed it at the mugger, Caleb chuckled, "Well let's help our sister out then, shall we?"

Hermione stopped running and directed her wand at the mugger. Just as she was about to utter out a stupefying spell she remembered that she was in a muggle infested area, and quickly lowered her wand. Grunting out in annoyance at the idea of having to run some more – a complete night of being chased by Professor Lupin in his werewolf state still had her sore – Hermione started to run again. Picking up her pace she heard somebody shout at her to watch out, but it was too late. The mugger abruptly came to a stop right in front of her, and the hardened impact caused her to fly backwards. Hearing some shouts from a distance, the last thing Hermione remembered was seeing Draco Malfoy staring down at her. There was something off about him though; his eyes were black.

_"Malfoy?"_

Feeling the body she was resting against stiffen against her, Hermione felt a pounding sensation in her head and cringed when she heard an unfamiliar voice, "She's waking up."

"Shush," Hermione slowly said, "You don't have to shout."

"She has a concussion," a second unfamiliar voice said.

"Damn Caleb," snorted a third voice, "How hard did you hit her?"

"I didn't hit her," hissed a fourth voice, "She ran into the scumbag."

_She ran into the scumbag?_ Hearing the words being spoken about her, Hermione groaned and tried to sit up. "My purse-"

"-is right here, Sweetheart," the voice closest to her said. "We've got it. You shouldn't be moving, not yet at least."

Feeling a hand touch her forehead, Hermione tried to bury herself into the grass smelling chest of whoever was holding onto her and a soft sigh escaped her lips. "Don't move," whoever was touching her forehead told her, "I'm going to fix your concussion alright."

"Okay."

Feeling a heated sensation running through her forehead and entering her bloodstream, Hermione gasped as it suddenly turned to ice, giving her a brain freeze; reminding her of the time she ate her ice cream too fast with Ron while waiting to meet up with Harry in Diagon Alley. Then just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone. Slowly opening her eyes, Hermione saw pale blue eyes staring down at her. They belonged to a pale faced boy who looked to be only a couple of years older than her. She knew him from somewhere. Albino blonde strands fell into his face, reminding her of someone. She looked back up into his eyes, and tried to remember him. Who had pale blue eyes; almost resembling glass? Pale skin? Pale hair? Pale eyes? It wasn't until he smirked at her, that Hermione let out a frightened squeak and jumped out of his arms, training her wand on him.

"Malfoy!" she hissed out, backing away.

"No," he shook his head, "I assure you I am not a Malfoy. My name is Reid Garwin."

Watching as the blonde stood up from the pavement of the sidewalk that he was just kneeling on, Hermione saw him hold his hands up as if defeated, while he took slow and cautious steps towards her. "You're an American?" she questioned, taking in his accent.

"Sort of," nodding his head, he breathed out a sigh of relief when she lowered her wand. He noticed the wild look in her eyes as she continued to stare at him. "I was born in England, but moved out here when I was nine. I'm sixteen now."

Jumping up as one of the other boys grabbed her shoulder, Hermione lifted her wand once more. "Whoa," holding his hands up to show that he wasn't going to hurt her, Caleb shook his head, "Chill; I wasn't going to hurt you. I just wanted to make sure you were alright."

"You might want to put your wand away," the Malfoy look alike warned her, "You're attracting the muggles."

Looking around to see that there were in fact a couple of muggles staring at her with what she could only assume was disgust, Hermione nodded her head and put her wand back into her pocket. "Are you all wizards as well?"

"No," the boy with long black hair shook his head. She saw the laughter in his light brown eyes and envied him. She wished she could still have that laughter in her eyes. "Well I guess Reid is in a way, but we aren't at least. I'm Pogue," holding his hand out to her, he smiled and she saw dimples, "Pogue Parry."

Hermione took his hand and shook it, blushing at the idea of shaking a teenage boy's hand. "Hermione Granger."

The same boy who first approached her held his hand out for her as well this time. His hair reminded Hermione of Harry's and caused her to chuckle a bit, which only made his light brown eyes darken with confusion. "Caleb Danvers."

"Hullo," she grinned, hiding her laughter behind one hand while using her other to shake his. "Sorry, I don't mean to be rude. But you remind me of my best friend Harry in a way. Well, your hair does at least."

Laughing at the idea of someone else having the same hair as Caleb, Tyler stepped up to the young British girl. Dark brown hair hung just over his eyes, reminding her of a darker haired version of both Malfoy and Reid; while his crystal blue eyes reminded her of Professor Dumbledore, "I'm Tyler Simms."

"Nice to meet you," Hermione grinned, shaking his hand. Then turning back to the blonde who was still staring at her, Hermione felt her cheeks heating up as she remembered snuggling in closer against his chest just moments before. "Sorry about freaking out like that."

"It's alright," he shrugged his shoulders, holding out the tiny black colored purse that she only now just noticed in his hand. "It's understandable; Malfoys aren't very well liked in the wizarding world."

"Thanks," Hermione muttered, taking her purse from him and pulling the strap over her shoulder. "And that's an understatement. Malfoys are the world's evilest gits. Well aside from Voldemort at least, but they're just as terrible – I mean they do work for the bloke. And they do make sure to take the time to make my life hell just because I'm a muggle-born, but that doesn't mean Lucius had to go and try to kill Ginny just because of it – what the bloody hell was he thinking giving her that diary? I'm glad that Harry set Dobby free after that, and that look on Malfoy's face was priceless when I slapped him; it felt good too, after being called a Mudblood by him for so long…" realizing that she was rambling on, Hermione looked up and saw they were all just staring at her. Blushing once again, Hermione flew her hands to her mouth, "Sorry. I have a tendency to ramble on. My best friends Harry and Ron are always telling me I should just be quiet sometimes."

"How old are you?" Reid asked her suddenly.

Wanting to kick herself for still blushing, Hermione shied away, "Thirteen. But I make fourteen in three months."

Tyler, Caleb, and Pogue all looked over at Reid who now had a saddened smile on his lips. "So you're in the same year as Draco Malfoy then?"

"Yes," gritting her teeth at hearing _his_ name, Hermione turned a deeper shade of red once more, but this time it wasn't from blushing. The four Sons all took a step back as they saw her clenching her fists. "That foul-loathsome-evil-little-cockroach… urgh… that bloody git is the foulest most evil little boy to ever roam this earth. I believe he's darker than Voldemort himself, and he kills people for fun mind you. Well not just any people, mostly just muggle-borns and half-bloods, well no… I guess he _does _kill purebloods for fun too – look at what he did to Harry's dad – then again there was that prophecy, but it doesn't matter, he's still evil. And Malfoy is right there alongside him; calling me a Mudblood and all sorts of other names. I am _not_ a bookworm," Hermione looked up at the four confused boys, "I mean I'm beating him by only _two _points in every class. So it's not as if I'm _that_ much brighter than him. Then he goes and tries to get Buckbeak killed just because he's a bloody ponce. Oh, I wish I still had my time-turner. I would slap him all day again if I could. I would-"

"Hermione!"

Stopping in the middle of describing how much she wished she could punch Malfoy instead of slapping him the next time, Hermione looked up, "Huh? Oh, sorry. Was I rambling again?"

Laughing, Reid nodded his head. "It's alright. Pogue's girlfriend Kate likes to talk a lot too, so we're used to it."

"Oh," looking up at the sky, Hermione blanched, "Oh Merlin, it's getting dark, I've got to go."

Reaching out, Reid grabbed her arm, "Wait-"

"You don't understand," Hermione shook her head; "You don't understand, I've got to get off the streets before he begins stalking me again."

Instantly the three other boys began to search the streets while Reid took a protective stance in front of the amused witch. Looking over at him to ask him what they were doing, Hermione gasped. So she wasn't imagining it – his eyes really were an onyx color earlier. Looking over at the other three, she saw their eyes were all the same. It explained how they were able to get rid of her concussion by touching her forehead without wands, but it didn't explain who they were.

"Who's stalking you?" Reid asked. His voice was a low growl; reminding her of Malfoy's when he cornered her two days after she slapped him. He told her that if she laid her filthy hands on him again, he would kill her without hesitation.

"This vampire," Hermione sighed, "It's rather quite embarrassing really, but I really do need to go. I have ten minutes left to make it to the office."

"The office?" Caleb questioned. His voice took a deeper tone now that his eyes were black.

"I was referred to a vampire who would be able to help me," Hermione nodded her head.

Turning around, Reid saw the fear in her eyes as she looked at him. It wasn't there with the others; only him. Then he shuddered. She mentioned how Lucius Malfoy tried killing some girl and how Draco called her the worst name you could call a muggle-born. Of course she feared him. He looked like the two people who made her school years hell. "We'll take you."

"It's alright," Hermione shook her head, moving away from him. "I'm sorry Reid. I know you said you aren't a Malfoy, but you look too much like him. I mean, you could be his bloody twin. Except for your eyes; his are silver and yours are blue. It's too creepy. I keep picturing a kind Malfoy, and it's making me want to face a Dementor again."

"A Dementor," Reid's jaw dropped, "You faced a _Dementor_?"

Hermione chuckled, but there was no laughter in her face, "It comes with the effects of being Harry Potter's best friend."

"Harry Potter's best…" Reid' jaw dropped again. No wonder why they hated this girl so much. She was a muggle-born _and_ a best friend to Harry Potter. Reid was actually surprised that Lucius wasn't swallowing his pureblooded pride and forcing Draco to befriend the young witch. She must be extremely bright if she's beating Draco by only two points in every class. Lucius was the type of person who would force his son to befriend the best friend of Harry Potter just so they could bring him closer to the Dark Lord. Reid shuddered as he thought of it; so he wasn't hearing things earlier. She did call him by his name – Voldemort. "You're Harry Potter's best friend?"

Nodding her head with a smile, Hermione looked over at Caleb; "That's why I laughed at Caleb's hair. It reminded me of Harry. So you're familiar with the wizarding world then? I mean you know of the Malfoys, and you know of Dementors and about Harry?"

"Yeah," Hermione noticed the remorse in Reid's eyes as he answered her. It was odd to see remorse in Draco. Of course, she knew that he wasn't Draco, but it was uncanny how much they resembled each other.

Looking up at the sky, Tyler turned back to them, "Hermione, you only have five minutes left."

"Oh shoot."

Reaching out, Reid grabbed her hand once more and handed her a card that he conjured out of the air. "Here's my cell number. Call me if you need any help. We're going to be in LA for another two months."

Looking down at the card in her hand, Hermione nodded her head. "I'll text you my number once I get there," stopping a couple of feet away from the silent brothers, Hermione turned back with a wide smile. "Thank you for grabbing my purse back from the mugger," then she turned and ran off again.

**A/N: The timeline is off, but it's the only way that my story will work… sorry if it's confusing you guys because honestly it confused me to write it. So a whole year has passed since the graduation of Sunnydale, but Remus didn't get to teach that part to his class yet, and Faith arrived to Sunnydale during junior year instead of senior. Doyle is already dead, Cordelia is a seer, and Spike is already good. He doesn't have a soul, but he's already working with Angel. Hermione is thirteen ('tis the month of June and her birthday is in September – I don't like the idea of her being older than her year-mates) the Sons are sixteen and Faith and Cordelia are eighteen. All HP events are based off the books and movies in order, but the Covenant and BTVS/Angel events are jumbled up and out of order and somewhat erased? You'll understand over the chapters. If not, just ask(:**

**So… what do you guys think of my first three-way story so far? When I first wrote this, this was supposed to only be a prologue of the actual story that I want, but then I got excited about Hermione being in LA, and decided to make this into a short chaptered story then just writing the original story as a sequel. I hope you guys like it and that I don't mess up the characters or movies/tv shows too badly! (:**


	2. History Lessons

History Lessons

"I know he's evil," Cordelia Chase nodded her head; speaking in a flat monotone, proving that she's heard this speech many times and was sick of the same argument, "But he is also a human. We do not kill humans. It goes against everything you are."

"I'm a vampire. Killing humans is exactly what I am."

"Never thought I would say this," sighed a breathy voice, "But I agree with Barbie over here. He's human – granted a yummy piece of evil human, but he's still a human."

"Then_ you_ can kill him."

"Angel!"

First there was a growl then a snarl followed by a whine, "Well why not? I mean she killed a human before."

"We've been over this many times before. I was depressed and in the mood for the fight. I didn't realize he was human until I already staked him. Get over it already, I did."

"But Faith-"

Turning around so that her stake was directed over Angel's heart, Faith snarled at him, "I'm a different person now."

It's been like this for the past hour. Spike sat in the corner of the office just watching them all argue and whine then argue some more until Faith busted out the wooden stick and threatened the boss with it, then it would start all over again. Angel was pissed with the pretty boy, Lindsey McDonald, over from Wolfram and Hart because of an innocent that was killed by one of Lindsey's demon clients. Apparently Angel couldn't get to the poor bloke in time, and now it was eating him up inside. The worst part of it all was that they couldn't even find the bloody demon to kill it. So Angel was doing what he always did best… brooding.

Spike noticed that unlike himself and the broodster, the two girls changed the most. Cordelia was no longer the queen bitch that he remembered trying to kill back in Sunnydale, and she grew up; both mentally and physically. She still dressed like a tart, but in a more classy way. Instead of a tiny frilly skirt, she wore long white jeans that hugged her lengthy legs a little too tightly. And instead of the tight baby tees, she was now wearing a red blouse that hung off her shoulders and showed the butterfly tattoo on her lower back. Instead of constantly toying with her long black locks, she dyed it a golden color and allowed it to just fall past her shoulders in forgotten curls. Of course no one expected her to change completely. Even if she was suddenly a Seer, she was still only nineteen.

Then there was Faith. Dear old Faith who fled Sunnydale seeking redemption and joining the good fight alongside Angel. Spike snarled at such a thought. Faith may have changed in the sense that she was no longer killing humans – even if it was only that one time, they never let her live it down – and in the sense that she was just a bit more matured, but she was still the bad chick she always was. Her hair was still black on black with golden streaks in it that she crimped to her shoulders. She still wore too much eyeliner; bringing out the darkness of her brown eyes. She still wore red lipstick that was too crimson for just normal daily wear and she still had her many tattoos and piercings. Looking her over, Spike shuddered. They once shagged under a spell, and he still didn't recover from it. It wasn't that she wasn't good or anything, but more so that she wore too much leather – more than him. Tight black leather pants started right at the top of her arse, so that if she were to bend she would show her crack, but of course they were too tight to shift at all on her. The dark green shirt looked more like a bandana that was meant only to cover her chest, and the black leathered boots that she wore had heels that would be able to stake a vampire.

"Hullo?"

Hearing a British voice, Spike excitedly jumped up and ran towards the door; excited to have a chance to hear another Brit speak. Giles was boring company, but he was starting to miss the old watcher. "Hullo, love."

Hearing another British voice, Hermione looked up and screamed. "What did you do to her, Spike?" Cordelia shouted, following Faith and Angel towards the screaming girl and confused vampire.

"I didn't do nothing," frowning, Spike looked down at the girl, "Go on, love; tell them I didn't do nothing to you."

Holding both of her hands to her chest, Hermione could feel her heart trying to escape her. "Sorry," she said, eying Spike with curiosity once more. "Bloody hell."

"What?" turning around to the people he guessed he could call friends, but preferred them to be partners or potential meals, Spike rubbed his forehead. "I don't feel all bumpy."

"You aren't," Cordelia assured him. Walking over to the still panting girl, Cordelia leaned forward towards her. "Are you alright? Did Spike do anything to you?"

"Spike?" looking back at the blonde, Hermione started to chuckle. "No, sorry about that, it's just that you look like somebody from school. I just ran into another clone of his, and I thought you were him too," then taking in a closer look, Hermione examined him. His eyes were the color of rain; just a shade between Luna's and Reid's eyes. His hair was just as albino white as Malfoy's and Reid's, but instead of hanging it over his face in a sexy bad boy type of way he had it gelled back like how Malfoy wore it before third year. Then Hermione took in his outfit and started to chuckle. The black t-shirt was extremely tight, showing off the creases on his stomach, whereas she couldn't tell the difference between his leather pants and the girl's leather pants. "But I can see the difference now. Malfoy wouldn't be caught dead in leather."

Laughing at the girl's words, Faith was absentmindedly playing with her stake while walking over to her. "Just like I say; leather belongs on me, not Spike."

"Can we help you with anything?" Angel asked, amused at the girl's forwardness about dissing Spike, but also confused as to why she was there in the first place.

Looking over at the person who just asked her something, Hermione took him in; brooding brown eyes and shaggy dark brown hair, reminding her of a thicker and shorter version of Professor Lupin. "Yes," she nodded her head, "I'm looking for Angelus."

The air thickened and everyone paused their simplest movements. Angel sniffed the girl, but she didn't smell like the dead; she had a heartbeat and he could already feel the warmth radiating off of her. She was obviously human. Faith and Cordelia both exchanged worried glances, but neither of them got any bad vibes off this girl. Spike moved in closer and began to examine her. He was proud of how she stood there, allowing him to closely look at her. Stopping behind her, he sensed her tensing up and his eyes landed on the stick in her back pocket. It wasn't a stake – that much he knew.

"You're a witch."

"Spike," Cordelia hissed, slapping him, "That's not nice. We just met the girl."

Chuckling while Spike bared his fangs at her, Hermione pulled out her wand. "It's not an insult. I really am a witch. See, I have a wand and everything."

"Oh," pouting, Cordelia cocked an eyebrow as she stared at it. "Since when do witches have wands?"

"Since the beginning of time," Faith rolled her eyes. Getting closer to Hermione, she cocked an eyebrow as the young witch scooted closer to Spike out of pure instinct. Wasn't she just frightened by him? "Wesley taught me all about a British school for witches and wizards. It's called Hogwarts."

They all saw the girl's eyes light up at her words, "That's where I go. I'm going to be in my fourth year come this September. Did this Wesley person go there as well? What house was he in? I'm in Gryffindor."

Chuckling at the girl's eagerness, Faith shook her head, "Sorry Doll Face, but Wesley only heard about it while he was in school learning to become a watcher."

Remembering hearing about the Watchers Council and how it was something like the Ministry of Magic, but mainly for the slayers, Hermione nodded her head. "I've heard of them," then looking around, she put her wand back into her pocket, "So which one of you is Angelus?"

"Why do you keep saying that name?" Cordelia asked her. "I'm willing to buy into this whole Hogwarts school thing because I've heard of weirder things than that, and now that you mention you're a witch I can sense there's something magical about you, but you keep mentioning Angelus. Why is that?"

Hermione saw the nervous glance Cordelia shot at the brooding man, and walked over to him, "They taught about you in my school."

"What makes you think I'm Angelus?" Angel asked nervously, picking at the hem of his cotton t-shirt.

Pointing at Cordelia, Hermione used her 'grown up voice,' "She keeps nervously glancing at you. If you're not Angelus then-"

"Stop calling me that," Spike snorted at the whining tone that escaped Angel. "I don't go by that name anymore. I prefer Angel."

"Oh," then sticking her bottom lip over her upper lip in a triumphant grin, Hermione stuck out her hand. "Hermione Granger. It's nice to meet you Angel."

Shaking the awkward young girl's hand, Angel nodded his head in Spike's direction. "The blonde pouf is Spike."

"Did they teach about me too, love?"

Seeing the hope in the Malfoy clone's face, Hermione thought back to first year when Malfoy first sat on the stool to be sorted. Slapping her forehead as she tried to erase the image of a happy Malfoy, and ignore the feelings she got from thinking of a happy Malfoy, Hermione looked up at the blonde. "No, sorry, Professor Lupin taught us only about the five main vampires throughout history."

"And I'm one of them?" Angel grinned then smirked at Spike. "Too bad Spike, maybe next time you'll be fierce enough."

"How am I not fierce enough?" Spike scoffed. "I would rather think that William the Bloody is a more vicious name than Angelus. I mean honestly; a killer with the face of an angel. How pathetic is that?"

"William the Bloody?" Hermione's ears picked up that name, and she snapped her head up to stare at Spike. "William the Bloody wears leather pants?"

"Oi!" Spike shouted at her, "I'll have you know I can still kill you. Unlike Angel over there, I don't have a soul in me."

"I don't need to stab a stake through you to kill you," Hermione stated in a bored voice; earning a snort from Angel, hidden chuckle from Cordelia and an amused grin from Faith. "Before you could even realize what I'm doing, I could set you on fire or even stupefy you while slowly decapitating you. And I could do all that from where I'm standing. William the Bloody may be a legend, but I am a witch," when Spike scoffed at her, Hermione quirked an eyebrow, "Then again, maybe I wouldn't have to resort to magic. I outran a werewolf during a full moon. I'm sure I'd have no problem defeating a vampire in leather."

Faith was holding onto her stomach at this point. Her laughter flooded the room until she was heaving over with one arm on Cordelia's shoulder and panting. "I like her," she announced. "Wesley told me the Council always described the witches and wizards as stuck up little brats, but she's got spunk. Can we keep her?"

"She's not a pet," Cordelia rolled her eyes, but it was obvious that she too, liked the young witch. "I'm Cordelia Chase," she introduced herself, "And this over here is Faith Lehane."

"The Seer and the slayer," Hermione smiled politely, walking over and shaking both of their hands. "It's nice to meet all of you."

Mumbling under his breath while Angel and the others led Hermione back into the office and out of the little entrance way, Spike reluctantly followed them. Faith seemed too intrigued by the wand sticking out from the girl's back pocket while Cordelia shot Hermione an odd look. Angel seemed to be watching her closely as well. While he was still Angelus, he had a run in with a witch from Hogwarts. He was with Drusilla, Darla, and Spike at that time, so he knew Spike was reminiscing on that incident as well… determining by the annoyed glare on his face. They were torturing a little village just north of England when suddenly Spike was spinning around in the air. They all stopped what they were doing and turned around. They saw a girl holding a wooden stick in her hand, and although she was no more than sixteen – the perfect age for a slayer – she wasn't rushing them with it. They all heard her say something under her breath, and the next thing they knew Darla was being slammed against a house. Drusilla was the only one who could see the girl for what she truly was, so she gathered up her family and left before they could all be killed.

Angel glanced over at Spike who stayed far away from Hermione and saw the weary look he gave her. "So Hermione," Angel started, "What is it you need my help with?"

Sitting down on the chair, Hermione pulled her wand out of her pocket and placed it in her lap just out of habit, but she noticed the way Spike cringed at the sight of it, causing her to wonder if he cringed when he first saw it earlier. "I'm being stalked."

"A young witch like yourself?" Spike questioned with a serious face right before it turned into mockery, "Why don't you just stupefy him then slowly decapitate him?"

Rolling her eyes, Hermione used her adult voice again, "Honestly William, grow up! If you are going to act like a Malfoy, then maybe I should just twirl you around in the air?"

"You-you…" Spike began to stutter while Cordelia and Faith dropped their jaws this time. Now it was Angel who was laughing loudly. "You little… you called me…" pointing his finger at the girl, Spike couldn't believe what she just called him. Then he remembered the last part of her sentence as well. "Twirl me around the air? Oi! How did you know about that?"

Smirking a smirk that would have made the Malfoys proud _– honestly Hermione, stop thinking about Malfoy so much – _Hermione held up her chin, "As I said, we learned about you in school. Professor Lupin, who was our Defense Against Dark Arts professor last year, felt that we should know how to defend ourselves against vampires should we ever be attacked by one. First though he taught us about the five most feared vampires throughout history. We spent a week on each one. The first one was Dracula; of course. Then it was Darla, Angelus, Drusilla and William the Bloody."

"You guys learned about Darla and Drusilla too?" questioned Cordelia. "Your school sounds fun," she then pouted, "You guys had a class that taught you all about that stuff? The only cool thing we had was a principal that got eaten by a giant snake."

"We learned about that as well," Hermione nodded her head, not understanding why anyone would think that was cool. She loved her headmaster like a grandfather. She didn't want to see him get eaten by a giant snake.

Faith was straddling a chair directly across from Hermione and leaning forward so she could rest against the back of it. "Forget about all that. We already know all about them. You said that you outran a werewolf during a full moon?" Hermione nodded her head. "Sweet," Faith grinned, baring her teeth. "Was that for some sort of exam for your class?"

"No," shaking her head, Hermione chuckled at the irony of it. "Actually, our Defense Against Dark Arts professor, Professor Lupin – well he was the werewolf."

"What?" Angel, Cordelia, and Faith all shouted.

Spike only snorted, "A school where a teacher tries to kill their students? Sounds a lot like Sunnydale to me."

"He didn't mean to," Hermione quickly jumped to her favorite Professor's defense. "My best friends, Harry and Ron and I snuck out because Harry's map showed us that Harry's godfather was in the Shrieking Shack-"

"The Shrieking Shack?" questioned Faith then she flashed a feral grin again, "Kinky. Go on."

"Wait-" Angel held up both his hands. "A map showed you guys your friend's godfather?"

"Yes," Hermione nodded her head slowly, "It's a magical map. I'm highly against it, but it comes in handy. It shows you everyone in the castle and where they are exactly. It's brilliant actually. So anyway, we snuck out and we found Sirius Black – Harry's godfather – Harry tried killing him and that-"

"Your friend snuck out of school to kill his godfather?" Spike was intrigued at this point.

"Well see, Harry's parents were killed when we were only one, and Sirius was their best friend – hence why he's Harry's godfather – and the next day Sirius was arrested for murdering thirteen muggles and his-"

"Muggles?"

"Non-magic people," Faith answered Cordelia, "And I heard about Sirius Black. Wesley taught me all about him. He was sentenced to Azkaban right? For betraying James and Lily Potter and trying to kill their one year old son, Harry, then the next day he killed thirteen muggles and his other best friend Peter Pettigrew. I heard that he escaped Azkaban last year. I'm guessing you guys found him, and that your best friend is Harry Potter?"

Nodding her head in approval, Hermione was impressed. So watchers and slayers learned about them as much as they were taught about them, eh? That was cool. "Yes. Well, you see when we got there Professor Lupin ran in just as Harry was about to kill Sirius. To cut a long story short, we found out that Peter Pettigrew was still alive and living as Ron's pet rat, Scabbers. Professor Lupin transformed into a werewolf just as Professor Snape got to us and Harry and I played as bait while Professor Snape took Ron out to the hospital wing because Professor Lupin slammed him into a tree and he was still a little banged up from when Sirius dragged him away through the Whomping Willow and into the Shrieking Shack-"

"Whomping Willow?" Cordelia was trying to keep up without asking too many questions, but she was still confused. What the hell was this girl saying?

"It's a tree," Hermione said, "It hits you and whatnot. That's not important though. Sirius dragged Ron away and Ron was injured so Professor Snape took him away and took Sirius away as well to lock him up for the Dementors to come."

"Dementors?"

Annoyed that Hermione kept getting interrupted, Faith shouted, "Guards of Azkaban. They kiss you to kill you, but instead of dying they just suck out your soul and you're forever paralyzed in an empty shell, forced to constantly relive your worst memories over and over. Sirius spent twelve years in Azkaban for the murders he was apparently framed for. Can Hermione finish now? I want to hear the rest of this."

"Right," Hermione was shocked. No one's ever wanted to actually hear her talk before. She's usually always being shut down before she can really begin. "So erm… where was I?"

"Professor Snape took away your friend and Sirius while you and your other friend were running away from the werewolf professor," Spike answered.

"Oh right, thanks," Hermione smiled at him then continued, "We were running for a while, but someone came in and took the attention from us. So we ran back to the school."

"Who was it?" Angel asked before shying away from the death glare that Faith was sending his way.

"Harry and I," seeing their confusion, Hermione started to laugh. "I had this time-turner to help me keep all my classes, seeing as how the classes were all at the same time. _Malfoy_," they notice his name came out as a snarl, "Faked a tiny little scratch into a huge broken arm thing, and Buckbeak was sentenced to death-" seeing their confusion, Hermione quickly explained; "Buckbeak is a hippogriff. The games keeper, Hagrid, who became a professor last year, has a fascination for beasts and whatnot, and seeing as how it was a Care for Magical Creatures class, he brought in hippogriffs. _Malfoy,_" she snarled again, "Startled Buckbeak to where the poor hippogriff jumped up and scratched him. Buckbeak was sentenced to death."

"Oh," no one knew what else to say to that. Demons, witches, vampires, and werewolves – they could live with. But hippogriffs? Those are creatures of myth.

"Harry and I went back into time to save Buckbeak and to set Sirius free from wherever Professor Snape locked him up at. Needless to say, the distraction that Professor Lupin had when Harry and I were to escape were ourselves. We spent half the night running from him, before Buckbeak ran in and saved us. Professor Lupin ran off in defeat and we managed to save Sirius."

They were all silent for a couple minutes allowing everything to sink in. "When was this?" Angel finally asked.

"Two weeks ago."

Spike's eyebrows lifted into his hair while Angel's jaw hit the ground. Faith's hand began to itch for a fight after hearing all of this while Cordelia asked Hermione for her age. They were reminded of Buffy when she answered. There were a couple more questions; mostly asking her what else happened to her while she was in school. Shifting in her seat uncomfortably for the first hour, Hermione found herself explaining to these strangers, everything that's happened to her from the moment that she stepped onto the train to go to Hogwarts. Faith helped her explain certain things to the others who were confused, whereas Spike helped translate certain English expressions into American expressions. Hermione never knew that they spoke so differently when it came to certain words and phrases.

It took nearly three hours for everything to become explained and for everything to sink in. Cordelia and Faith both slapped Spike a couple of times every time Malfoy's name would be mentioned because apparently Spike looked like the boy, making him want to kill the little prat just for getting him slapped so many times. It wasn't until Angel looked at the clock on the desk and saw that it was just past ten, that he remembered Hermione came to him with a purpose; not to fill them in on her life story.

"Hermione," Angel said, interrupting what looked like another argument between the blonde vampire and the witch, "You said you came here because you were being stalked?"

"Oh right," turning her full attention onto Angel, Hermione squirmed at the looks from the two older females. "I walked to the sweets shop near the hotel we're staying at, and this vampire approached me. I was prepared to kill him like I was taught to, but he told me I was very…" she blushed at this part and tried to hide behind her hair.

Spike noticed the girl's reaction and felt a protective need towards her. Walking over, he sat on the couch next to her and gently nudged her with his arm, "What is it, love? What did he tell you?"

"He told me I was very," clearing her throat, Hermione stared at her feet on the ground, "He told me I was very beautiful, and then he told me that he was planning on becoming the next master and asked me to be his queen. I very politely declined his offer, but he continued to follow me around. Then he suggested a few other things that I'd rather not repeat. But it all ends in me mothering his demon spawns."

Faith was quick to spring into action. Continuing to twirl the stake in her hands, she began stretching her body. "Right then, let's do this."

"What does he look like?" Cordelia asked.

Biting her lower lip, Hermione shuddered, "Tall, pale, golden like hair that sticks up a bit, green eyes; he's actually quite handsome, but a complete nutter. I would have killed him, but he hasn't actually tried to kill me or attack me. He just keeps following me around. At night I see him hanging outside my hotel room's window. I went into the lounge the other night and he was there waiting for me. I asked a boy for directions to a shop and the vampire got all territorial with me, saying that I smelt good and I belonged to him. Honestly, I'm about ready to kill him. I called Professor Lupin and owled Sirius. They both sent me here to you. They said you could help me."

There was light chuckle. There was a giggle or two. There was a little snort. There was a smirk. Then there was laughter… loud laughter causing Hermione to sink deeper into her seat in embarrassment. Angel tried to talk between his laughs, but it was pointless. Every time he opened his mouth to say something he would only laugh some more. Spike tried to control himself when he could see how embarrassed the girl was, but it didn't work. Even the older girls were having a hard time trying to keep calm.

Frustrated, Hermione stood up and walked towards the door. "Wait-" Spike finally shouted, "Sorry, love. Get back in here."

"It's just that," Cordelia was wiping her tears away at this point, "It's just that we've all dealt with the occasional stalker. Angel, do you remember that time back in school when Buffy had to literally run in and save me when my stalker tried to keep my body parts?"

"And that one time that Oz got territorial when some poor bloke sent Red flowers every day?" Spike was still laughing.

"Somebody tried to keep your body parts?" Hermione questioned.

Laughing, Cordelia nodded her head, "Sunnydale is built on this Hellmouth, you see-"

"I know," Hermione nodded her head, "We've learnt about it in our History of Magic class. Professor Binn is a bore, but that was a lesson that kept us all awake. It's also why the slayer Buffy Summers was drawn to Sunnnydale."

"Well our school's library is built directly over it," Cordelia explained, finally calming down enough to talk. "See, in school, I was the prettiest one," ignoring the eye rolls all around her, she continued talking anyways, "And all of the girls were jealous of me. I was the richest person with Daddy's money, and I got everything I wanted. There were a lot of times that I was being stalked. One time the boy wanted to keep my body parts. Another time, one of the boys wanted only one part of me to build the perfect girlfriend. Then there was this girl who I guess killed herself or something like that, and her ghost tried killing me. It started with her stalking me though."

"So we weren't laughing at you," Angel told Hermione – who was even more confused now than she was before – while trying to stifle his chuckles, "We were laughing at the memories."

"I was laughing at the stupid vamp," Faith shook her head. "Honestly? She smells good? He expects a thirteen year old girl to just jump up and marry him because he thinks she smells good?"

Playing with the loose string at the end of her shorts, Hermione looked at everyone as if they were mental. "Tell me your stories," she said, throwing even herself off, "I told you all about me and my friends and Hogwarts. I want to hear about Sunnydale and what you guys went through. They don't teach us about those sorts of things in school; only the magical parts, but not the everyday trials."

Cordelia spoke first, and the most. Spike only opened his mouth when his name was mentioned so he could defend himself, and Angel did the same. Faith was nervous at first; scared that this girl would judge her for her past, but it seemed like Hermione already knew all about her killing a human. She kept waiting for Hermione to give her an odd look or flinch away from her, but it never happened. Hermione didn't seem to care about Faith's past; she was too intrigued with how similar their friends were to her own. Hermione had just as many questions for them as they did for her, and she was excited to hear all about their adventures from their own mouths.

"Alright, love," Spike said once he saw Hermione yawn. Standing up, he held his hand out for her, "It's one in the morning."

"What?" ignoring Spike's offered hand, Hermione jumped to her feet and looked at the clock on the desk, "Oh Merlin, I've gotta get back to the hotel."

"Sorry all we did was talk," Angel said sheepishly, kicking the ground, "But we'll scout the area around your hotel for the vampire who's stalking you."

Smiling, Hermione nodded her head, "Thank you all. I had fun tonight. I'm so used to everyone telling me to shut up that it wasn't until I explained why my parents brought me here on vacation, that I realized I actually told you lot everything."

"It's alright," Cordelia smiled assuring her, walking over, "I enjoyed hearing your stories. I mean it sucks about what's happening to you and your friends, but it's nice hearing that we aren't the only young ones out there fighting the good fight. You're strong kiddo, remember that."

Grinning, Hermione stuck out her chin as she always did when she was proud about something, "We are aren't we? I only wish to be half of what you guys are. I can't wait until I owl Harry and Ron? Oh – I can tell them about you guys, can't I?"

Laughing, Faith nodded her head, "Sure you can, Doll Face."

"C'mon, love," Spike shouted, already holding the door open for her, "We'll walk you back to the hotel."

"I'm going to run ahead to see if I can spot the vamp before Hermione gets there," Faith announced. Stopping at Hermione, she pulled her into a hug. "I hate seeing young kids getting dragged into a war, but it happens to the best of us. It only means we're survivors."

Smiling, Hermione hugged her back, "If being a survivor means I get to be like you then it's a war worth winning."

Pulling away, Faith pinched Hermione's cheek and winked; "Five by five, Doll Face, five by five," then she disappeared.

Cordelia was suddenly pulling the startled Hermione into a tight embrace as well, "I slipped my number into your purse," she told her. "You call me if you need anything. I want to see you again."

"Oh shoot," opening her purse, Hermione saw the two cards, "I forgot to text Reid with my number."

"Reid?" Spike quirked an eyebrow; she was too young to be thinking of boys.

"One of the boys I ran into on the way here," Hermione reminded him. "The other one who looks like _Malfoy_," Cordelia rolled her eyes at the snarl in Hermione's voice. "I told him I would text him so he has my number as well. He wanted to talk to me about Hogwarts, and make sure I was alright."

"Well you can text him after you text me," Cordelia said, poking Hermione gently with her finger. "Text me as soon as you get back to the hotel so I know you're alright."

Nodding her head, Hermione smiled. "I promise. Thanks Cordelia."

"I'm going to check the streets around us," Angel announced, slipping past Spike and Hermione. "Spike will walk you back to your hotel, Hermione, alright. If you see the vampire, you let him know. And I'll be close by."

Nodding her head, she had a determined look on her face, "Will do Angel. Thanks."

"You ready, love?" Spike asked, holding out his arm.

Nodding her head once more, Hermione accepted the offered arm and stepped into the darkness with William the Bloody holding onto her, "I'm ready, William."

Demanding that she never call him that horrid name again, Spike kept a close watch on the streets they were walking on. It pained him to see Hermione was doing the same. She still had innocence around her; an innocence that he prayed she kept. Buffy was losing her innocence already; becoming strictly only a warrior who continued to fight. Buffy only knew how to fight now; there was nothing left for her to do. Looking down at Hermione, Spike could see the fight in her eyes and the strength in her walk, but she was still innocent. He could see the laughter etched into her face as she laughed whereas when Buffy laughed, it was dry and empty. When Hermione smiled she had dimples embedded into her chin and on her cheeks. Buffy had dimples once too, but now she hardly ever smiled. And if the rare occasion did present itself, she lost her dimples.

"Are you related to the Malfoys?" Hermione asked, pulling Spike out of his thoughts.

Looking down at her, he shook his head. "Nope, there are no pureblooded wizards in my family line."

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked, "You really do look like Malfoy!"

"You talk about him a lot, love," feeling a shiver that he knew wasn't brought on by the cold, Spike slowly started grinning; "Are you thinking about him right now?"

Hermione wanted to deny it, but she knew there was no way Spike would ever meet Malfoy or anyone from her world, so she started to slowly nod her head. "Ever since the day I slapped him. He confronted me two days later about it, and threatened that he would kill me if I do anything like that ever again. I know I should be frightened by him, but he doesn't scare me. I laughed at his threat and the scowl he gave me would send a normal person running with tears in their eyes, but it only haunts me. I don't know why I'm always thinking of him, but there's always that constant reminder in the back of my mind. Everything that I hear or see, my mind manipulates it into a memory of Malfoy."

"Aww," Spike cooed, "It seems like someone here's got a crush on the bad boy."

Glad that the night's darkness was hiding her scarlet colored face, Hermione tried to deny it; "It isn't a crush, it's-"

"Then why are you blushing?" seeing Hermione drop her jaw, Spike chuckled then tapped his forehead with a finger, "I'm a vampire, remember. It's my job to sense everything. I think I'm going to call you Scarlet from now on."

"Scarlet?" Hermione gasped. "But why?"

"You keep calling me William."

"It's your bloody name."

"And your face is scarlet colored," Spike chuckled then grinned to himself, "Yes, I quite like that name – Scarlet."

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed, favorited, and alerted this story(: Honestly, I didn't think that so much of you would actually like a cross between the 3 stories. And I also want to clear up any confusions: eventually this story will be a Dramione- as it moves onto the sequel at least, but that does not mean that Reid will not get a relationship as well.(:**


	3. Hermione Learns A Secret

Hermione Learns A Secret

_From:_ _339-555-3412_

_ MSG: Hey Hermione, it's Caleb! Reid said you gave permission for us to have your number._

_ From: 339-555-8951_

_ MSG: Hey Hermione, this is Tyler. This is my number!_

_ From: 339-555-4646_

_ MSG: Hey Hermione, its Pogue. Reid said the investigator ppl couldn't find your stalker. Want us to take care of it for you?_

_ From: Reid_

_ MSG: I gave the boys your # like you said I could. I apologize for their ignorance in advance. I was hoping we could meet up later. Text me when you wake up._

_ From: Cordelia_

_ MSG: Seeing as how we couldn't find your stalker, would you want to come in today so we could get more details about him? Seeing as how we couldn't last night?_

Smiling to herself, Hermione yawned as she read through all her new text messages. Faith and Angel were both waiting for the slightly arguing Hermione and Spike when they arrived outside the hotel last night, and explained that they couldn't find the stalker. Angel claimed it was because he could hear their bickering from miles away and didn't want to get caught. Whatever the reason was Hermione didn't care; she was just glad that he was gone. Spike and Angel both promised to hang around the hotel and keep an eye out for her in case he returned throughout the night. Faith walked Hermione up to her hotel room, and it turned out to be a good thing – seeing as how Spike was originally going to, but Faith claimed to want to get to know Hermione more – because Hermione's parents were also both just returning at the same time, and would have freaked out if they saw a man in leather pants walking Hermione up to their room at nearly two in the morning. After introducing Faith as a new friend who was kind enough to help her out when she got lost and ended up on the other side of LA, Hermione texted both Reid and Cordelia. She showered then continued texting Reid until she fell asleep with her phone in her hands.

"Mum," Hermione said, leaving her tiny little room and entering the main area of the hotel room they were staying in. Her parents had their own room and she had her own. A tiny loo was the only thing separating them, "I'm going to look around some more today."

Looking up from the newspaper she was reading, Jean Granger took in her daughter's chosen outfit for the day; tan colored shorts and a white blouse. "You look lovely dear," she smiled, also noticing that Hermione braided her hair back instead of leaving it wild.

"Thanks," looking around, Hermione noticed her father was missing. "Where's Dad?"

"He's down at the pool."

"Oh," blanching at the thought of her father lounging around a pool all day, Hermione was suddenly grateful for making new friends. Kissing her mum goodbye, she pulled out her phone and started texting Reid.

Caleb was teasing Pogue who was on the phone with Kate and telling her all about Hermione. Tyler was teasing Reid for staying up until three in the morning, texting a thirteen year old girl. They were getting stares from all sorts of people this morning. The girls would all take one look at them then instantly their eyes would become twitchy and their hair seemed to need to be flipped a lot. Reid looked down at his sagging black jeans and simple white t-shirt and shrugged his shoulders. Pogue was wearing his usual black buttoned down shirt and long black jeans as well. Caleb and Tyler both wore red shirts, but one had black designs and the other had white words on his. Caleb wore khakis, and Tyler was wearing blue jeans. Back in Massachusetts, they were always being chased after, but that was because the girls at Spenser Academy knew who they were – at least they heard the rumors, and suspected who they were. The girls in LA were just tacky.

"Sorry I'm late," Hermione announced when she ran up to the table they were all sitting at, "I got lost."

Looking up at Hermione, Pogue smiled then went right back to his phone, "Babe, Hermione just got here. I'll call you later alright."

"Bye Kate," Reid shouted into the phone.

Glaring at Reid, Pogue blushed, "I love you too."

Smirking, Tyler shouted into the phone, "I love you too, Kate."

Hanging up his phone, Pogue slammed it down. "Kate says she hates you all," meeting the amused girl's eyes as she sat across from him, he shook his head; "Not you Hermione; she doesn't hate you. She wishes you luck for having to deal with Reid."

"I always knew your girlfriend was smart," Reid laughed.

Rolling his eyes, Tyler grinned, "You get used to them after a while, Hermione."

"They remind me of Fred and George," Hermione laughed, "They're twins, and my friend's older brothers. Oh, well I guess they're my friends as well. More so like my own brothers really-"

"You're doing it again," Reid told her with an amused look.

Blushing, Hermione folded her hands on top of the table, "Oh, sorry."

Tyler was about to say something, but suddenly Hermione's phone began to ring. The brothers all laughed at the ringtone while Hermione blushed deeper and dug through her purse looking for it; it was a wolf howling.

"Sorry," Hermione muttered to the table as she answered the phone, "Hullo Professor Lupin."

"Hermione," a scruffy voice said through the phone, "We've been through this. I am not your professor anymore. Call me Remus now."

"Sorry Remus," she said shyly. Hearing a noise, Hermione looked up and saw the confused look in Reid's face. "Is everything alright?" she asked, looking back at her purse on the table.

"Yes," Remus told her, "I'm calling to check on you. You were supposed to call me after your meeting with Angelus, and Padfoot said you didn't owl him either."

"Oh shoot," biting on her lower lip, Hermione sighed. "Sorry, I didn't leave Angel's office until one in the morning. We got to talking all about Hogwarts," the brothers noticed her voice was hushed as she said her school's name, "And then they told me all about themselves as well."

Remus laughed. He knew how Hermione could get once she was excited about something. "Did you even mention the vampire to them?"

"Yes I did," Hermione huffed out, causing the brothers to all smirk. Once again her mind wandered back to Malfoy. "William walked me back to the hotel last night while Faith and Angel scoped the streets for him. They couldn't find him though. I'm actually meeting up with them later on today."

"William? Who's William?"

"Sirius?" Hermione gasped, "Remus, have I been on speaker phone all this time?"

"Yes you have young lady," came the teasing voice of Sirius Black, "And I've told Professor Moony here all about your colorful choice of words."

"I didn't believe him at first, Hermione."

"Well you should have seen what he wrote to me first," Hermione whined before remembering where she was. "I'm not finished with you yet Sirius Black," Reid gasped at the mentioned name then blanched, and Hermione silently cursed herself. She forgot that Sirius was still wanted for murder. "I'll call you later Remus. I'm with some… friends right now."

"Very well," Remus said. "You be careful Hermione."

Sirius's tone was suddenly very… serious as well. "Owl me Hermione; like I said in my last letter, I'm willing to fly Witherwings all the way to LA if I have to."

"I'll be safe," Hermione promised them both. "Sirius, you need to stay in hiding. Remus, keep an eye out on him. And watch over Harry and Ron. Goodbye."

They ordered breakfast once Hermione hung up her phone. She noticed that American food was slightly different from British food, but she found herself addicted to it; they weren't huge differences, but the names were different from each other and it had a slightly different taste to it. Hermione was nervous because whenever she would glance up at Reid she would find him always staring at her. His eyes hadn't left her yet. Finally she got sick of it.

"What?" Hermione asked, causing everyone to jump in their seats at the sudden outburst. "Why do you keep staring at me?"

"Sirius Black is in Azkaban for murder," Reid replied in a low tone.

Shaking her head, Hermione leaned in towards him, which was easy since she sat right between him and Tyler, "Two weeks ago we found out that Sirius was innocent. Have you heard of Peter Pettigrew?"

"He's one of Sirius's best friends," Reid nodded his head, "He was murdered the day after James and Lily Potter. Sirius was the one who killed him."

"Nope," shaking her head, Hermione chuckled, "We found him, and confronted him. Pettigrew is still alive. He managed to transfigure himself into a rat and escaped, framing Sirius. Sirius escaped from Azkaban at the beginning of last year, and only two weeks ago we found him. He was captured by Professor Snape, and sentenced to the kiss. Harry and I rescued him two weeks ago. He's in hiding now."

"A kiss?" Tyler scoffed. "What kind of punishment is that?"

"It's a kiss from a Dementor," Reid stated. His brothers' faces all went grim when he said that. He explained to them all about the world he came from when they first met and realized they were brothers. They knew all about the Dementors. "So Sirius Black is innocent then?"

"Mhmm," nodding her head, Hermione sipped her orange juice. "Don't you keep in touch with your wizarding family?"

Reid shifted in his seat, and everyone else fell into an uncomfortable silence. "We lost contact."

Their food came and Hermione grinned at her plate, but the look that Reid had on his face worried her. He looked scared of something. After asking Reid if he was alright, Hermione saw the other three all with grim looks as well. Hermione took only three bites of her scrambled eggs before she sighed and pushed her plate away.

"Alright," Hermione said, "Why do you all look as if someone's been killed?"

"No reason," Reid quickly tried to make himself look all collected. "Sorry, I was just remembering when I lived as a wizard. Can I ask you something?"

"Yes."

"Is it true that you have to give blood to find out what house you're sorted into?"

Laughing, Hermione had to wipe away her tears. "Oh Merlin no," she shook her head. "What is up with all of you guys being lied to about the sorting ritual? My friend Ron's older brothers told him that he would have to wrestle a troll."

"Troll?" Reid blanched, and then he suddenly smirked at the idea of Draco having to wrestle a troll only to find out he was in Slytherin. "So then what do you have to do?"

"There's a hat," Hermione explained, taking another sip of her a juice.

"A hat?" Pogue had one of his eyebrows raised, showing he didn't believe her.

"I'd rather wrestle a troll," Tyler snorted.

"A bloody hat?" Reid said, going back to his British ways for a mere second.

Nodding her head, Hermione was still chuckling, "Yes, a hat. It's the sorting hat. You sit on a stool in front of everyone in the Great Hall and it's placed on your head. Then the hat sees into your mind and reads all of your thoughts; it determines which house fits you best."

"What house are you in?" Caleb asked. "I remember Reid told us all about Hogwarts and the houses."

Pogue also looked interested, "Yeah. He said that Slytherin only accepts bigoted purebloods that are sly and cunning. Then he said Ravenclaw takes in only the smart people; the ones that are quick witted. Gryffindor is the house full of only the bravest witches and wizards, and Hufflepuff takes in the rest."

"I'm in Gryffindor," Hermione beamed proudly, taking a bite of her link sausage. "The hat wanted to put me into Ravenclaw, but it takes your thoughts into consideration. It also said that I have more bravery than wit. I wasn't sure if I should be insulted or complimented at his words, but once I became friends with Ron and Harry I instantly knew I was in the right house. Harry was supposed to be in Slytherin, but he said he begged the sorting hat to place him in any house but Slytherin. We laughed when he told us he would have rather been in Hufflepuff than Slytherin."

"I don't blame him," Reid scoffed then frowned, "Harry Potter was almost put into Slytherin?"

"Yep," growled Hermione, catching them off guard, "But once he saw Malfoy get sorted into Slytherin, he instantly knew that he didn't want to be in that house. Apparently he and Malfoy met right before school started, and Malfoy rubbed off on him the wrong way. Then he insulted Ron right after Harry became his friend, and Harry just knew he would hate Malfoy."

Reid sighed. He always knew that Draco would end up in Slytherin. It was in the Malfoy and Black blood after all… especially with Lucius as his father. It seemed almost inevitable that Draco would be just as evil. But hearing it was different than thinking it; hearing it sickened him. "Yesterday," Reid's voice was low. He didn't want to know, but he had to know. He had to know everything. He_ needed_ to know everything. Some part of him did want to know everything. It wasn't his world anymore, but he still cared, "Yesterday you said that Lucius Malfoy almost killed a girl named Ginny?"

"Ginny Weasley, Ron's little sister," Hermione grimly stated. Her voice was just as low as Reid's, showing this was something she didn't want to address either. "He snuck Tom Riddle's diary into her cauldron over the summer holiday-"

"Tom Riddle…" Reid was tapping the table with his fingers, thinking hard. Tom Riddle? He knew that name from somewhere. Where did he know it from?

"Voldemort," Hermione verified, "It's his real name."

"How is giving the old diary of the Dark Lord almost killing a girl?" Tyler was interested, but confused.

"Ginny was eleven at the time. It was her first year at Hogwarts, and our second. The diary is blank, so Ginny started writing in it. The spirit of Tom Riddle was living inside the diary and it possessed her. He forced her to open up the chamber of secrets and release a giant basilisk into the school."

"Your school was infested with a giant snake?"

"It kills muggle-borns," Hermione nodded her head. "It actually killed a girl back in 1943 when Tom Riddle first opened the chambers. She haunts the loo now that the chamber is in; we call her Moaning Myrtle."  
>"Was anyone killed this time?" Reid asked.<p>

"No, thankfully not, although a lot of us were petrified by it."

"Us?"

"Yes, I was petrified as well. Luckily for everyone though, I was able to figure out where the chamber was and how to avoid being killed right before I was. Harry was able to open the chamber and rescue Ginny. If he went in only five minutes later, Ginny would have already been dead. He killed the basilisk and destroyed the diary. Everyone who was petrified was revived within a week after that."

"And that all happened because Lucius slipped the diary into Ginny's cauldron?" Hermione looked closer at Reid. He was sweating and he was paler than when she first met him. He reminded her right now of how petrified Malfoy looked when she held the wand up to his neck right before slapping him. "You look so much like him."

Reid heard her even though she meant for it to be a whisper… he still heard her. It pained him to know how much he resembled the young Malfoy boy. He always wondered what Draco would grow up to look like, but he knew that he would never get the chance to know… until now. Somehow Hermione was like a miracle; his second chance at life. Pushing his plate completely away from himself, Reid began running both of his hands through his hair. Caleb nudged Pogue and they both nodded their heads at each other. They both caught the way the younger girl's breath got caught in her throat at the sight sitting next to her when Reid did that simple movement.

"Narcissa's my mother."

The fork clattered against the table and Hermione stopped breathing. Tyler sensed the girl's features paling, and he placed a hand on her thigh. Allowing his eyes to turn black for a quick second, he gave her air forcing her to breathe so she wouldn't pass out. "W-What?" Hermione found her voice after a long pause.

"Abraxus Malfoy set up a contract with Cygnus Black once Lucius was born. In the beginning the contract was written out for Andromeda, but she fell in love with a muggle-born and ran away to get married once she became of legal age. Abraxus and Cygnus agreed to rewrite the contract. At the time they both knew that Narcissa was in love with Marcus Garwin, but to them Marcus wasn't a pureblood. They didn't even consider him a wizard, and they both felt that a marriage contract would tear Narcissa away from Marcus."

Hermione held both of her hands to her mouth. She had never felt anything for Narcissa Malfoy before, and considered her to be a cold woman, but hearing that she was forced away from the man she loved because her father wanted her to marry the man her sister was originally meant to marry, sickened her. Hermione now felt pity for the woman she loathed. "What happened?"

Reid had both of his elbows on the table while holding onto his head. He tried to forget about them for so long. "Lucius and Narcissa married when she turned eighteen and was only a month out of Hogwarts. Narcissa hated it but she wasn't strong like her sister, so she stayed and went along with the marriage. One night Lucius was gone, he had went out on a mission with the rest of the Death Eaters and Narcissa ran away to be with Marcus. Lucius found them, and called in the rest of the Death Eaters. Barely escaping with his own life, Lucius killed Marcus. Nine months later I was born."

Hermione gasped. "He-he killed your father?"

"I didn't know Lucius wasn't my father," Reid nodded his head. "He raised me as his own. Then Draco was born," his voice was starting to get deeper, and he kept his head facing down. "We were raised as normal brothers in the beginning, but when I was five I began to show my powers."

"Accidental magic," Hermione nodded her head.

"No. My real father Marcus wasn't a wizard, Hermione. I'll explain that part to you afterwards. My magic was different from Draco's and I noticed that my mother was getting worried by what I could do. When I would do magic she would stop me and tell me to hide it before my father got home. But when Draco would do magic, she would praise him. I was able to hide it for a whole year before Lucius found out what I could do. I didn't mean for him to catch me, but Draco stole my broom and was flying on it and my eyes turned black. I was six years old and Lucius crucio'd me because of it."

"He did what?"

"Yep," Reid took in a deep breath, "That was when I found out that he wasn't my father. That was when Lucius started treating me like a stepson, and my darling mother stood by him each time. Draco would often take my side or sneak into my room to play with me. He was so innocent, Hermione; just an innocent little boy who didn't understand why his father was being mean to his brother. We were close then."

Hermione felt the tears in her eyes before they fell onto the table. She looked around and saw the three others watching her carefully, as if waiting for her to react some way. Shaking her head, Hermione looked back at Reid as he continued, "When I was nine, Lucius came into my room. He seemed to be annoyed about something, but I didn't understand why he would be. I was in my room all week. I didn't do anything to him or even play with Draco that week. I didn't use my magic, but then he lifted his sleeve and showed me his dark mark. He told me that when I become sixteen I would follow after him. I told him I didn't want to. I didn't want to become a Death Eater, but he wouldn't listen to me. He said that as long as I was his son and living under his roof, I would follow his rules. I told him I wouldn't and he kicked me out."

"Sixteen?"

Reid nodded his head. "It's when you get your mark; on your sixteenth birthday. I was only nine, but he was already planning on training me. He told me that day, that he was feeling better and that he realized my powers would help them to bring the Dark Lord back. Draco pleaded with me to do whatever Lucius said, but he was only seven years old; how could he understand what Lucius was asking me to do? He was already planning for me to bring back the Dark Lord, help kill Harry Potter, and then give up my powers once I ascended. I may have only been nine, but I knew what that meant. When I was seven my real father would visit me in my dreams. He told me who I was; what I was. I knew I couldn't do what Lucius wanted."

"And Malfoy?" Hermione was trying to hide her tears, but she knew that it was pointless to do so. Her tears were freely falling, and it was because of Malfoy. She had an image of a crying and pleading innocent Malfoy; begging his big brother to stay. And it broke her.

"He hated me," Reid shrugged his shoulders. "Lucius told him that I was abandoning him and that I didn't want to stay with him anymore. He told him that I was a horrible brother and I didn't love him. I tried to talk to Draco, but Lucius pulled him away from me and ordered a house-elf to take me away. It was Dobby who grabbed me-"

Hermione smiled at the name, "Dobby," she perked up, "He's free now. Harry tricked Lucius into freeing him at the end of our second year."

"Good," Reid's shoulders shook as he chuckled; his face still turned downwards. "Dobby took me to Massachusetts. He knew my real father, and he liked him. Knowing that I would be killed within the first hour on my own in the wizarding world, he took me to Caleb's family. They raised me up, and I haven't heard from anyone in the wizarding world until yesterday."

They gave her time to absorb everything she was just told. Hermione would pick up her purse strap, pet it then drop it; pick it up, pet it, drop it; pick it up, pet it, drop it; she kept up the routine until she heard a car honk its horn somewhere nearby. Her eyes were stinging with the collected tears, and she looked up at Reid. He was looking at her now; watching her, observing her, reading her. He wanted to know what she thought about everything he just said, and honestly… so was she. How was she supposed to feel? Just because Malfoy lost his big brother, and his father was a git didn't mean he had to pick on her all of the time. Losing Reid didn't give him an excuse to become prejudiced. It didn't give him the right to be so cruel towards her.

"Right before I left," Reid whispered, "Lucius told me that he would train Draco to kill me. He told me that in the end, Draco would become what I turned down. He would turn Draco into a Death Eater and after they killed Harry Potter, he would find me and Draco would force me into giving up my powers to the Dark Lord; killing me."

Hermione was sick. Her stomach was quivering and she couldn't breathe again. Feeling Tyler touch her thigh again, she thanked him when she took in a deep breath. "You're the Sons of Ipswich," it wasn't a question or a statement, but more of a memory. "Professor Binn taught us about them and I remember turning around to tell Ron and Harry to stop talking because I couldn't hear the lesson, and that was when I spotted Malfoy. He was shaking and paler than usual. There was sweat dripping from his forehead and he had this… this look in his eyes. I couldn't describe it. I still can't describe it; it was like he was scared, nervous, excited, nauseous, curious, bored, determined, longing, desperate, upset, and grateful all in one. Zabini and Nott were whispering things, trying to get him to calm down, but it was like he couldn't hear them."

"Lucius probably already started preparing him to kill me then," there was remorse laced in the hatred of Reid's voice.

"So Malfoy knows you then?"

"Yes," Reid nodded his head, "He was seven when I left. Nearly eight really; it was two weeks before his eighth birthday and four months before my tenth birthday. He also knew I was a Son because of Lucius. Draco asked him one day why he treated me mean and unfair, and Lucius hissed out that I wasn't his, that I was different from them."

"Why didn't you go to Hogwarts?" Hermione asked him, finally voicing the question that she had wanted to know from the moment he mentioned he knew about the wizarding world. "If you're a Black, you should have gotten your letter."

"Caleb's mom wouldn't let me go," Reid explained. "She knows my situation, and when the owl delivered my letter she refused to let me attend. I wouldn't be protected by my brothers if I was on my own in the wizarding world."

"Oh."

It was silent again for a while. Caleb wanted to explain more about the Sons to Hermione, but she seemed to already understand who they were. Tyler made sure to keep his hand on her thigh just in case he needed to help her out again, and Pogue stared blankly at the five full plates. Reid and Hermione kept their gaze on each other; not once looking away. Brown stared into blue.

"Tell me about him," Reid said suddenly. "I know that you hate him and vice-versa, but I think about him all the time."

"Well you look just like him," Hermione softly smiled. "As you know, I've pointed it out many times. I mean it's uncanny how much you two look alike. He's more slender though, now that I think about it, and his eyes are silver. He plays Quidditch; he's the Seeker for Slytherin," when Reid said how much Draco used to love playing Quidditch when they were younger, Hermione held in the fact that Lucius bought Draco's way onto the team. She didn't want to be the one to ruin the image of his brother for him. "He wins against every house except for Gryffindor. Harry always wins for us. And he's very smart."

"Behind you in every class by only two points," Pogue suddenly grinned, reminding them that the others were still with them, and also proving that he was paying attention to everything the young witch said.

And just like that, Reid found comfort in the young witch as she began to fill them in on everything that happened from the moment she stepped onto the train to go to Hogwarts.

**Woohoo! A lot of you guys favorited and alerted this story even if only some of you reviewed. Thank you to all of you. It makes me only that much more excited to keep posting up the chapters. I'm already writing the sequel just to let you guys know(:**

**Please keep up the reviews! I'm loving all of them!**


	4. Stalking Isn't Nice Even If You Propose

Stalking Isn't Nice… Even If You Propose

Hermione was sitting between Cordelia and Faith on the couch in their office. It's been two hours since she left the Sons and came here. After Reid opened up to her and vice-versa, she found her thoughts stuck on the blonde git she hated so much. She obviously still hated him. And finding out that he slept with a stuffed hippogriff named _Roman_ for every night that Reid lived with them, was only information that she could use during one of their next arguments in the middle of a crowded corridor… or during dinner in the Great Hall. The thought of Draco crawling into Reid's bed with Roman every time there was thunder didn't make him seem human to her. And Hermione definitely didn't think it was adorable how Draco would get the family together every Friday from when he was only two years old and strum his little guitar while singing little made up songs in only his knickers and socks. She still hated him

"You alright there, Scarlet?"

Looking up from the spot on the tiles that she was staring at, Hermione saw Spike standing right in front of her, "Erm… yeah."

"I think we found him," Angel announced, stepping into the room. "Hermione, are you ready to go into the sewers?"

"Sewers?"

"Yeah," Angel was packing things into a tiny little duffle bag while Faith began to toss her stake into the air. "Obviously Spike and I can't go out into the sun and the vampire we're looking for is also obviously not in the sun. We spotted a lone vampire sleeping down there earlier who seemed to match your description. You wanna come with us to make sure we kill the right one and not some innocent vampire who feeds off only the blood of rats?"

"Do you really need to remind us of the life you lived while redeeming yourself every chance you get?" Cordelia asked.

"Yes," Angel nodded his head, throwing the bag over his shoulder, "Yes, I do. Are you guys ready?"

Faith walked ahead of them, wearing a leather outfit similar to the one from the day before; playing with her stake while Angel kept a lookout behind them, also playing with a stake in his hands. Spike tried to force Hermione to take one as well, but she merely grinned while flashing her wand. She never went anywhere without it, and she felt safer with her wand than a plain piece of wood that's only purpose was to be rammed through a heart – which also meant she had to become close enough to the vampire to stab it with the stick. Her way was less gruesome and less suicidal. Reminding herself to just keep breathing, Hermione ignored the fact that the liquid getting into her shoes were once inside of peoples bodies, and had been removed one of two ways; it was disgusting.

Then Hermione remembered she was a witch. Surely there was a spell that would get rid of the foul stench as well as keep her clean? Searching her mind for such a spell, she couldn't remember learning once. Making a mental note to scourgify herself once she reached land again until she could take an actual hot shower, Hermione continued trudging through the human waste. How can any creature choose to willingly sleep and live down here? Looking back at Angel she gave him a small smile and nodded her head in a friendly gesture before looking back ahead of her. She didn't know how he managed to live like this for a century, but she looked up to him now; he was definitely a fighter.

"Thinking of a certain mini me?" Spike teased with a nudge of his elbow to her ribs.

Scowling up at him, Hermione pressed her index finger to her lips, "Shh," she warned him, "We wouldn't want to scare the stalker away now would we?"

Smirking, Spike shook his head, "I'll take that as a yes."

"As a matter of a fact I was not thinking about _him_," Hermione informed the smirking blonde vampire, crossing her arms over her chest. "I was thinking about how disgusting all of this is."

"Oh honestly you two," Angel snarled, approaching them, "Be quiet. How are we supposed to sneak up on anyone with you two bickering?"

"We were not bickering," Hermione pouted, "I was merely informing William here that he is wrong in his assertions."

"Oh, god," Faith rolled her eyes, also approaching them. "Spike – you walk in front. Angel Cakes – fall behind us again. Doll Face and I will stay in the middle now."

Glad to be away from Spike and his prodding, Hermione found her thoughts wandering back to Draco once again. Reid's memories stayed stuck in her mind, blending in with the proud ferret that she knew so well from school, and she realized something – she doesn't know him so well. She doesn't know him at all. She knows absolutely nothing about him. Sure, she knows that he's a pureblood and he hates her for being a Mudblood, but she didn't know that his father was training him to kill his own half-brother. She knew that he liked to pick on the weaker links, but she didn't know that he was frightened by lightning. She knew that he liked to sprinkle cinnamon on his porridge every morning while eating breakfast and she knew that he wrote with his right hand but used his left hand to doodle. She knew that when he swerved more to his left on his broom while playing Quidditch, the wind curved his hair up just a little – Whoa! Alright, maybe she knew more about him than was considered normal, but it didn't mean that she had a crush on him. Spike was just idiotic, and she was just prone to paying more attention to detail than was necessary.

"You alright there, Doll Face?" Faith asked, noticing that Hermione just paled while her eyes darkened a bit.

Shaking her thoughts away, Hermione ignored the smirking gaze that Spike just flashed her and she nodded her head, "Yeah, sorry; I was just thinking about something Reid told me."

"You mean the boys that you met up with for breakfast?" when Hermione nodded her head, Faith quirked an eyebrow, "Yeah, you've been spacing all day today. What did they say at breakfast?"

Breakfast – Draco's favorite meal of the day, and the one moment that he didn't look like he wanted to kill the entire world; the moment when he still had that soft innocence in his eyes and a… hearing someone clear their throat, Hermione saw that Faith was watching her with an amused look on her face, and she quickly blushed. "Oh… erm… come to find out, Reid is Malfoy's half-brother; it's a long story really."

"Gee," Faith lightly chuckled, "No wonder you've been spacy all afternoon then."

"Faith," Angel growled, walking up to them, "Cover the back. The whole point of you walking with Hermione was so we wouldn't make any noise."

Smiling up at Angel, Hermione found herself thinking back to her favorite professor from Hogwarts, aside from Professor McGonagall of course, but Angel reminded her so much of Remus. They both regretted the monsters that they believed they were and they both spent most of their time in solitude; finding little pleasure and amusement in the forms of annoying friends who forced them out into the real world. At least they did in the beginning.

When he first entered Hogwarts, Remus had his best friends: James, Sirius, and Pettigrew to help him out. In the beginning, Angel had his own friends as well: Darla, Drusilla, and Spike. They all became odd little families; helping the other to cope with their new cravings and experiences. Then one day Remus lost it all: James and his wife were killed then the next day Pettigrew was 'killed' as well, and Sirius was sentenced to Azkaban for the murders. Angel lost it all as well. Not only could he not kill anymore, but he had been abandoned by the ones he actually considered his family. He had his lover, his 'son,' and his 'grandchild.' Suddenly Remus has Sirius back with him after twelve years of being alone, and he learns that Sirius was framed and Pettigrew had been alive as well, but instead of being able to go out into the public with his best friend by his side, Sirius has to stay in hiding while Pettigrew is on the run. Then you have Angel – one day he joins forces with the slayer and everyone comes back to him. Darla returned to reclaim him, but he ended up killing her; Drusilla and Spike ended up returning, but Drusilla left, and now he's stuck with only Spike whom isn't the greatest of company.

"You okay Hermione?" Angel asked, breaking into Hermione's thoughts, "You look a little sick there."

Looking up at the vampire who she now felt an ache for; Hermione nodded her head with teary eyes, "I'm fine, it's just that you remind me so much of Professor Lupin."

"Oi!" Spike shouted, "No talking remember, besides, we're here."

Stepping between Spike and Faith, Hermione saw that he was right. And this was in fact the vampire who had been stalking her. Instead of scooting closer to the slayer or to the vampire who reminded her so much of a person she trusted; she found herself scooting against the one vampire who annoyed her and reminded her of the person who would one day possibly kill her. Faith seemed to notice it too because she smirked, and Spike wrapped an instinctive possessive arm around Hermione's shoulders letting her know she was safe.

The vampire seemed to sense them because in an instant he was jumping up. His eyes landed on Hermione in Spike's arms and he snarled; his face becoming all bumpy like. "What the hell are you doing with him?" the vampire shouted at Hermione.

"Oi!" Spike shouted back, "It isn't very nice to shout, mate."

"Oh shove it," the vampire hissed. His eyes landed on Angel and then Faith and he took a step back. "What is all of this, babe?" he asked Hermione, "Why are you bringing two vampires and a slayer to our lair?"

"Our?" Faith scoffed, taking a quick look around the sewer hole they were in – there was one tiny little bed and a desk. "Consider us the welcoming committee."

"You don't frighten me, slayer," he told her. "Come here, Hermione," he told the witch, "And move away from them," his glowing yellow eyes darkened to an almost crimson color as he watched Hermione shake her head and move closer to Spike, trusting him to guard her. "What are you doing?" the stalker vampire growled at her. "Get over here. Come to me now!"

"Now that's not very nice," Angel said, rolling his head until his own forehead became bumpy. "Didn't your mother ever teach you it's not nice to talk to a child like that?"

"I ate my mother."

"Funny," Angel chuckled, "So did I," Angel tilted his head over at Spike who was also in his vampire form, "Didn't you do the same thing too, Spike?"

Nodding his head, Spike kept his eyes on the vampire in front of him. "Must be some sort of initiation ritual for all of us."

"How sweet," Faith grinned, "Sorry I can't be a part of this little cool vampire club thing you all got going on here, but I have killed a mother demon once. Does that count?"

Hermione found it odd. They found him… they were staring right at him. This was the vampire who was stalking her, and they made it known to her that they were planning on killing him, but instead they were… they were… playing word games with him. She found it amusing but odd at the same time. Why were the patronizing him? Was this all some sort of game to them? Looking up at Spike, she didn't find herself anywhere near frightened by the sight in front of her; his eyes were glowing and his forehead was bumpy while sharp fangs were bared at her stalker, but instead of being frightened, Hermione found herself trying to mesh in with his body.

Spike felt Hermione start to shiver against him, and his eyes lowered towards her, "You alright there, Scarlet?" he asked, confused as to why she was only now shaking. Didn't she realize she was safe?

Nodding her head, Hermione gripped her wand tightly, "It's cold."

Spike didn't believe her. He could feel her, and that type of shivering wasn't from being cold. Raising an eyebrow at her, he saw the blush in her eyes and realized she must have been thinking of his little mini me again and the thought frightened her. "We're almost finished here."

"Yes we are," the stalker stated, "Just hand me my bride and get the hell out of here."

"Eh!" Faith shouted, "Watch your language. We have a child with us."

Rolling his eyes, the stalker scoffed, "My bride won't be a child for much longer."

"All this bride talk," Angel announced, "I'm starting to feel a little bad. We haven't brought a wedding gift."

Dropping her jaw, Hermione looked up at Angel, and Spike winced in pain when he felt her dig her nails tightly into his ribs and try to practically climb his body. "Relax, Scarlet," Spike whispered in her ear, trying to soothe her, "We aren't giving you to him. This is what the hero does; he learned it from Buffy – we all did actually. We throw back and forth some witty banter before we kill the bad guys."

"It riles me up for a good fight," Faith informed the still nervous and confused witch.

Nodding her head, Hermione only said, "Oh, okay."

"Why are you holding him, babe?" the stalker asked vampire, "And why haven't you come yet?"

Snickering, Faith took another step closer to him, "She's only thirteen, _babe,___I have a feeling she won't be coming for a very long time."

Spike felt the heat from the girl's face through his shirt and chuckled, "This is what's going to happen, lover boy. We're going to kill you."

"What? Why? I didn't do anything."

"You stalked a thirteen year old girl after she very blatantly told you that she didn't want anything to do with being your queen," Angel rolled his eyes. Why did they always have to play stupid to everything?

"She has power," the vampire told them; inching away towards the concrete wall behind him once he saw Angel and Faith move forward again. Spike was standing still, more concerned on making Hermione feel safe than actually killing the pathetic vampire.

Hermione rolled her eyes now, "Yes, because I am a _witch_."

"No," the stalker vampire laughed, shaking his head, "It's much more than just that. You're one of the ones that will bring him down."

"Bring who down?" asked Spike.

"Him," the vampire grinned, flashing his fangs, "He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

Hermione gasped, "Voldemort? You know about Voldemort? What do you mean I'm one of the ones who will bring him down?"

"You're powerful," the stalker vampire told her, staring into her confused eyes, "You work with the boy who must kill him and you guide him along the way. Without you, your friend will be killed, but because of you he'll win the war. You will be my queen and together we will defeat them all. Together we will run this world. Together, our children will-"

Faith and Angel froze in their places with dropped jaws. One moment the vampire was talking to Hermione about some crazy stuff and the next moment he was being suspended high in the air, and it almost seemed like he was gasping for air… which is ridiculous because he is a vampire and vampires do not need air. Turning around, they saw Hermione standing right in front of a shocked Spike with her wand in her hand and directed at the insane vampire.

"I. Am. Not. Having. Any. Children. With. You," every spoken word was its own sentence and ended with the stalker being slammed into the wall, "I. Am. A. Thirteen. Year. Old. Child."

Faith looked from Hermione to the stalker and back at Hermione then started to laugh, "Seems to me like she does fine on her own."

"Hermione," Angel said, shaking away his memories of the last time he's dealt with a wand wielding witch, "Put the wand down."

"I. Tried. Very. Nicely. To. Tell. You. I. Was. Not. Interested!"

Seeing that Hermione was ignoring Angel's words, Spike bravely stepped forward and placed a hand on Hermione's wand hand and whispered, "Scarlet, calm down now, love. We can't find out anything about this war thing he seems to know about if he's scattered all along the wall, now can we?"

Flicking her wrist, Hermione watched as the stalker vampire dropped to the ground with a shriek of pain. "Very well," she huffed out, "Get on with the questioning then."

"Remind me not get on her wicked side," Faith whispered to Angel before walking over to the groaning vampire. "See what happens when you stalk someone. You never know just how dangerous they really are."

**Sorry this chapter is so short... I have no excuses... But hmm… what a cliffhanger, eh?(: What do you guys think?**


	5. Meeting The Enemy, Sort Of

Meeting The Enemy… sort of

Hermione was walking back to the hotel that night. Spike and Faith insisted on walking her, but she wanted to just be alone for a while. A quick spell cleaned them all up once they reached the office, but she could still smell the stench of evil on her, not so much the sewers smell but more so the aroma of the stalker vampire who thought his words would impress her – they did quite the opposite in fact. Shuddering as she thought about everything he said, Hermione thought back to Spike and smiled to herself. Who would have thought that William the Bloody was a sweetheart – well to her at least? He was still a pompous arse to everyone else around them, but when he felt her shivering at the vampire's words, he held her tightly against him and assured her that he wouldn't let anything happen to her.

_ "I. Am. Not. Having. Any. Children. With. You," every spoken word was its own sentence and ended with the stalker being slammed into the wall, "I. Am. A. Thirteen. Year. Old. Child."_

_ Faith looked from Hermione to the stalker and back at Hermione then started to laugh, "Seems to me like she does fine on her own."_

_ "Hermione," Angel said, shaking away his memories of the last time he's dealt with a wand wielding witch, "Put the wand down."_

_ "I. Tried. Very. Nicely. To. Tell. You. I. Was. Not. Interested!"_

_ Seeing that Hermione was ignoring Angel's words, Spike bravely stepped forward and placed a hand on Hermione's wand hand and whispered, "Scarlet, calm down now, love. We can't find out anything about this war thing he seems to know about if he's scattered all along the wall, now can we?"_

_ Flicking her wrist, Hermione watched as the stalker vampire dropped to the ground with a shriek of pain. "Very well," she huffed out, "Get on with the questioning then."_

_ "Remind me not get on her wicked side," Faith whispered to Angel before walking over to the groaning vampire. "See what happens when you stalk someone. You never know just how dangerous they really are."_

_ Kneeling to be leveled with the shocked vampire, Faith yanked him up by his hair. Hermione was right, he was handsome… for a vampire – then again, they were always handsome. Look at Angel and Spike. Pressing her stake against him, Faith dug it into his throat, earning a snicker from him and an eye roll from Angel. Spike was more concerned on the girl in front of him who was watching the scene in front of her with a fascination that reminded him of Buffy. Scoffing at the thought of him thinking of the blonde slayer as much as Hermione thought of his mini me, Spike walked around Hermione and approached Faith and the stalker._

_ "Tell us what you know, and Dark Angel here won't kill you," Spike told the stalker._

_ Frowning, Faith released the stalker's hair and looked up at Spike, "Yes I will."_

_ "Well it won't be as painful."_

_ "Yes it will."_

_ Rolling his eyes, Spike hissed at Faith, "Honestly woman, I'm trying to get information out of him. It won't work if you tell him you'll kill him either way."_

_ "Hermione," Angel groaned into his hands, witnessing the vampire floating in the air once more. _

_ Walking up to group, Hermione shrugged her shoulders but didn't say anything. Smirking, Faith trailed the stake along the vampire stalker's face, causing him to shudder at the touch. "How 'bout this," Faith told the stalker in a seductive tone, "You tell us everything you know and this stake will go directly through your heart quickly."_

"Miss Granger."

Turning around, Hermione found herself face to face with one of the most attractive men she had ever met... aside from Draco, Reid, and Spike of course. This was a different type of attractive; he didn't have the bad boy look to him. He looked like he was around Cordelia and Faith's age, maybe just a year or two older than them. Dark brown hair with light golden highlights in it fell all around his face, ending just above his shoulders; definitely reminding her of Draco. The lightest shade of baby blue orbs were twinkling down at her; also reminding her of Draco in a way. Thinking about it, Hermione mentally moaned at the thoughts – even when he was nothing like Draco, she still found herself comparing the two. He was even dressed in a neat suit. It was the smirk on his face that had her knees locking at the sight of him though.

"Yes?"

He stepped closer to her, holding out his hand for her to shake, and she quirked a weary eyebrow. He didn't seem to be all that dangerous, but his smile alone was what had her thinking that she would be safer with the Malfoys than this man. "My name is Lindsey McDonald."

Lindsey McDonald? The idea seemed almost ironic to Hermione. He was a pretty boy with a female's name and she heard the almost farmer twang in his voice, reminding Hermione of her favorite nursery rhyme from when she was a child. His name matched him. "How do you know my name?" she asked him.

"I'm a lawyer for Wolfram and Hart," he informed her, reaching into his suit's pocket and pulling out a business card for her to look at, "The vampire that you killed tonight was one of my clients."

Hermione gasped and quickly looked around the streets, "Are you mental?" she hissed at him, "You can't speak of those things on the streets like that. There are muggles around here."

Chuckling, the beautiful stranger nodded his head, "Of course; I'm sorry. Perhaps you would prefer to speak at my office? We could meet in the morning?"

Shaking her head, Hermione moved away from him. "No, I wouldn't prefer that. And I didn't kill him."

"Of course you didn't," his smile almost melted Hermione, but she realized what it really was; the devil himself in an angels form. Once again, the irony of the situation didn't escape her. "I understand that it was actually Spike who plunged the stake through his heart, but-"

"But you're too much of a coward to confront him on your own, so you assumed the little thirteen year old girl would be a better target," Hermione stated.

"No," he shook his head, "Unlike what your informants have told you about me, I do not attack children, Miss Granger."

"They have told me nothing about you," Hermione smirked, sure that if Draco were here right now he would be proud. "I've never even heard of Wolfram and Hart."

"Of course you haven't," it was his turn to smirk now, and it made her woozy. This wasn't good. Her summer wasn't supposed to be filled with thoughts of a certain git; he wasn't supposed to be affecting her from so far away. "Contrary to what most people believe, we aren't that evil-"

"Your client was a vampire who was stalking me, and hell bent on making me his queen," Hermione scoffed, "I highly doubt that doesn't consist as non-evil."

Shaking his head, Lindsey chuckled, "We are a law firm who defends those that can't seek defense from normal lawyers. Our cliental is based more on vampires, demons, imps, and other dark creatures. Occasionally we'll get a human client, but it's not as often as you would think."

"And what does this have to do with me?" Hermione asked in confusion. "I'm thirteen; I don't need a lawyer, especially one who specials in defending murderers."

Licking his lips, Lindsey searched the streets then stepped closer towards her until his breath was hot on her ears, making her gasp at the feeling. "We also work for Death Eaters."

_"Everyone in the wizarding world knows of the muggle-born with who hangs around Potter," the vampire stalker told them, his eyes remaining on Hermione's and challenging her to look away. "Without her, Potter would be nothing and everyone knows it."_

_ "That doesn't mean that I'm the one who helps him to defeat Voldemort."_

_ Chuckling, the vampire stalker snarled at her, "Such a brave young witch speaking the Dark Lord's name with no fear. It only makes you a fool, babe."_

_ "Just tell us what you know," Angel told him, noticing the way Hermione cringed when the stalker called her the affectionate name._

_ "If it weren't for you, Potter wouldn't have known about the Sorcerer's Stone," he made it known he was speaking directly to Hermione, "Nor would he have made it through the trials you guys had to cross in order to get to it."_

_ "Ron beat the chess game," Hermione argued, quick to jump to her second best friend's defense._

_ "Do you honestly think they would have even made it that far if it weren't for you?" when Hermione remained silent, he continued, "It was you that led Potter to realize it was a Basilisk in the chambers in your second year."_

_ "Harry would have figured it out on his own," Hermione shook her head, jumping to the rescue of her best friend once again, "He could speak Parseltongue, and would have eventually realized why he was the only one who could hear the voice in the walls."_

_ "That may be so," the vampire stalker shrugged his shoulders, cringing away from Faith who was now adding pressure to his ribs with the stake; reminding him that she was there, ready to torture him if she had to, "But if it weren't for your research and quick minded thinking, he would have never learned where the chamber was located or how to avoid being petrified."_

_ Angel looked away from the stalker vampire and turned all his attention on Hermione. It was true. When he first listened to her stories about Hogwarts, he noticed that she was in on the action instead of sitting on the sidelines, but it didn't dawn on him that without her everything would have turned out differently. "So she led Harry to the end twice – what does that have to do with anything?" Angel questioned, pressing for more answers._

_ "Twice?" the sudden cold cackling sent shivers down Hermione's back; chilling her blood cold. "Just last year, Hermione here was able to travel back in time, not only saving the life of Black, but also the life of a hippogriff; she outran a werewolf during the full moon transformation, and she proved that Pettigrew was alive and hiding out as a rat."_

_ "I had nothing to do with Pettigrew getting caught," __Hermione shook her head, "My cat Crookshanks hated him, and it was Professor Lupin and Sirius who forced him to change back into his human form."_

_ "But you were the one with the time-turner," the vampire stalker grinned, reminding Hermione of her importance in the escape of Sirius Black. "You were also the one who learned the truth of what Lupin truly is. You helped Potter to defeat the hundreds of Dementors that were killing him, and you escaped with only scratches and bruises." _

_ Faith was intrigued now. Looking back at Hermione, she looked at the young witch in appreciation and awe then turned back to her latest victim. "Alright, all you did was tell us what we already know. Now tell us something useful."_

_ "The Death Eaters know of how important you are in all of this," he spoke directly to Hermione again, still hanging up in the air._

_ "How?" it was Spike who asked the question._

_ It was Hermione who answered it, "Malfoy," her voice was low and filled with disbelief. "He tells his father everything."_

_ "They know all about the brightest-witch-of-her-age, and of her involvements of thwarting the Dark Lord's plans so far. Without you, Potter would have been killed already."_

_ "Who was it?" Hermione asked him, praying that her voice didn't betray her. "Who is Malfoy working with?"_

_ Laughing, the vampire stalker shook his head, "You don't get it, do you babe? Your entire school is crawling with kids of Death Eaters. You're a muggle-born – a Mudblood in their eyes – but you're their biggest threat. With you on Potter's side, he'll win the war; they need you dead."_

Regretting her choice to walk alone, Hermione looked up the street. She was still another half mile away from her hotel and she could probably outrun this guy, but it would lead him to her parents. He worked with Death Eaters; he wouldn't stop to think about the safety of her parents. Lindsey seemed to notice her silent thoughts of escape, and he threw both his hands up in the air as if in defeat. Taking a slow step away from the slightly frightened young witch, his eyes watched her hand as it rested comfortably on her wand.

"I didn't come out here to hurt you," he assured her.

"Your client stalked me and was obsessed with making me his thirteen year old bride to rule the world by his side," Hermione scoffed, "Sorry if I don't believe you."

"I told you, I don't kill kids. I don't even like torturing them."

"Death Eaters don't exactly like me," Hermione spat out at him, "They don't seem to like my blood."

"I know," Lindsey nodded his head, "You're a muggle-born; they despise your type. But you're different this time," when Hermione cocked an eyebrow, he continued, "You're a threat to them. They need you on their side."

Shaking her head, Hermione glared at him, "I would never work with them. Harry's my best friend, and even if he weren't… they torture and kill people. They work with Voldemort."

"You speak his name?" Lindsey's eyes were wide; the fear evident, sketched into the baby blue.

Chuckling, Hermione told him, "Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself."

"You're a fool, Hermione Granger."

"And you're an evil man, Lindsey McDonald."

"You don't know me enough to make judgments about me," his voice was harsh, but his eyes were amused.

"And you don't know me enough to make assumptions about me," Hermione countered.

Laughing, Lindsey moved in closer to her, but not enough to seem like a threat, "I know that you're the type to jump in and save the day."

"And I know that you're the type to represent a stalking vampire."

"I didn't come here to argue with a thirteen year old."

"Then why did you come here?"

"To offer you something."

"What could you possibly have that I would want?"

"Protection."

"I have my wand," Hermione reminded him, finally pulling the wand out of her pocket.

"Not that kind of protection," Lindsey said, flinching at the sight of the wand now in Hermione's hand. "Under my protection, the Death Eaters won't be able to touch you."

"I thought they were your clients."

"I never said they were _my_ clients," Lindsey corrected her with a sly grin. "I said they were clients of the law firm. I also told you that I don't believe in killing children."

Hermione thought it over for a second, but quickly shook her head. "I don't need your kind of protection. Perhaps you should see Harry, he's the real victim."

"No," his face looked grim all of a sudden, "Think about it Miss Granger… without you your friend would have been killed already. Obviously they can't get to him so they'll move on to the next thing."

"Kill the muggle-born witch protecting him, and they can get to him quicker," Hermione nodded her head, "I know all of this already."

_Spike snarled while Faith stabbed the stake through the stalker's ribcage, earning her a bloodcurdling scream. Angel stood in the shadows watching the scene unravel before him. Within a second, Spike had replaced Faith and was now twisting the stake around the vampire's body, earning more shouts of pain. Faith walked over to Hermione wanting to shield her from witnessing the horrifying scene in front of her, but Hermione shoved her hand away; insisting she was fine and that she wanted to watch. She couldn't be innocent and sheltered forever._

_ "It isn't me who wants her killed," the vampire shouted out in agony. "I'm trying to make her my queen after all, aren't I?"_

_ "How do you know about the wizarding world?" Hermione questioned him, moving in closer and raising her wand to lift him a little higher into the air. "You're an American vampire."_

_ "They're preparing for a battle," he replied, "They're calling in reinforcements that the Ministry would never dare to suspect."_

_ Thinking about it for a second, Hermione nodded her head in a slow fear, "They're recruiting dark creatures from all over the world?"_

_ "America is the biggest place with lots of resources," the vampire stalker also nodded his head._

_ From the sidelines, Angel frowned, "What sorts of creatures do they already have?"_

_ "Vampires, wolves, trolls, giants, and I heard they've even got a couple of demons already."_

_ "And you?" Spike questioned him, pressing the stake deeper into his body._

_ Gasping from the pain, he tried to squirm away from the stake stabbing into him, "When I learned of Hermione's involvement, I knew I had to her; the young witch who was smart enough to thwart all their advances. I want to bring her over to the dark side."_

_ "I would never work for Voldemort."_

_ "I wouldn't expect you to," he grinned at her, flashing his fangs, "We would kill him together. Then you and I would become the dark king and queen and the Death Eaters would be under our command. We would rule the world."_

_ Rolling her eyes, Faith snorted, "That's not the first time I heard that line before."_

_ "Well I wasn't speaking to you," he growled at her._

_ Trailing the stake to the vampire's heart, Spike pressed it slightly into his chest, "Is there anything else?"_

_ "No," it was Hermione who replied, "We know all we need to know. I'm the threat now, and they'll be paying more attention to me than to Harry. Voldemort's recruited American creatures to back him up and the Death Eaters' children are working with their parents."_

_ Grinning, Spike looked into the stalker's widened and fearful eyes, "You heard the bride."_

Lindsey and Hermione kept the other's watchful gaze; Hermione waiting for the precise moment to have to use her wand and Lindsey making sure that the wand doesn't have to be used. Licking her lips, Hermione found her thoughts being taken to Draco yet again. It seemed like no matter how much she tried to avoid him or not think of him, this summer vacation was turning into a Malfoy vacation of some sort.

Chuckling, Lindsey ran a hand through his hair and the girl's shivering reaction didn't escape his notice. "I'm sure you do know, little darling, so what do you say?"

"No thank you," Hermione shook her head, "I'm sure I'll be fine without the protection of a demon."

"I'm not a demon," he assured her.

"No," she snorted, "You just work for them."

"I'm just thinking of protecting you," Lindsey told her. "If my bosses knew that I was offering you my protection they would fire me. And trust me, at my job they take the term 'fired' literally."

Grimacing at the sudden image of this man standing in front of her being swallowed by flames, Hermione shook her head once more, "Then don't risk it. I'm sorry Mr. McDonald, but I don't make deals with the devil, especially when he works with the people trying to kill my best friend."

"They're more focused on killing you, little darling."

Shrugging her shoulders, Hermione twirled the wand between her fingers the way she watched Faith do to her stake so many times, "For now."

"You're a good person, Miss Granger," Lindsey smirked, licking his lips. "It's hard to find that in the world nowadays."

"No its not," the look on Hermione's face matched the pity she felt for the beautiful man standing in front of her, "Not if you look hard enough. There's good in all of us."

"Even the man who works for the devil?" Lindsey questioned, cocking an eyebrow.

"You _are_ offering protection to a thirteen year old girl, whom just helped to kill your client, aren't you?"

Lindsey stared at the young witch in disbelief; bewilderment in his eyes as he saw the unsettling sweet little smile on her lips. Her words echoed in his mind and he couldn't believe it – she knew what he did, who he worked for, and she still believed he had some good left in him? "Angel will protect you," he said suddenly, "It's what he does. He's the good guy who's always saving the day."

"Goodnight Mr. McDonald," Hermione smiled, making sure her wand stayed in her hands. She had a feeling he wouldn't attack her, but she didn't want to chance anything.

Softly chuckling, Lindsey nodded his head at her, "Goodnight little darling."

**A/N: I might be posting chapters up every day or more than one in a day. It all depends on how antsy I am to start posting up the sequel already –which I cannot stress enough, is the main story – so yeah… Lindsey wasn't going to be a main part of the actual story, but I can't **_**not **_**write an Angel story in LA and not have Lindsey in it. That would be like writing a Harry Potter story and not having Harry Potter in it. And also I am in love with Christian Kane. I'm more obsessed with him than I am with Tom Felton –and that says a lot- and Lindsey McDonald is the best thing to ever happen to TV in general –at least in my eyes- I'm rambling now… sorry… it's just that I'm in love with him and I had to have him in here. This won't be the last you guys see of him either(:**

**So anywho… what do you guys think?(:**


	6. Letters From Home

Letters From Home

"Wakey, wakey, eggs and bakey!"

Groaning, Hermione rolled over in her bed and looked up to see a pair of twinkling crystal colored eyes peering down at her while dark brown hair tickled her face. Letting out a shriek in quick response, Hermione used her wand to fly the intruder off of her and onto the floor while gathering the thick floral patterned comforter up to her chin, trying to block the intruder from seeing her pajamas – which consists of pink heart decorated tiny cottoned shorts and a simple white tank top. Hearing laughter from the door, Hermione looked up and rubbed her eyes.

"Reid?" Hermione squeaked out, clutching the comforter even tighter and staring at her new friends standing at the door of her room. "Caleb? Pogue? What are you three doing here? Where's Tyler?"

"I'm down here," grunted a muffled reply on the floor.

Slowly looking over the edge of her bed, Hermione turned a bright shade of red, "Sorry Tyler, you surprised me. I didn't realize it was you. Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Tyler nodded, rubbing the back of his head. "Good to know you'll never be attacked in your sleep though."

Meekly chuckling, Hermione looked up at Reid and the others, "What are you guys doing here? How'd you get in?" then she gasped, "My parents!"

"Let us in," Reid chuckled, "They love us by now."

It was true. It's been two weeks since Hermione's met the Sons of Ipswich, and also her vampire and slaying friends, and within the first week her parents had met the four brothers, Faith, Cordelia, and even Spike. It was an awkward meeting when they met Spike, but they loved him for some reason – something about being Brits from the same parts of London and something about teeth. Hermione didn't understand her parents' logic, but then again they allow her to converse with a werewolf on the phone most of the time. "Be as that may, but I don't think my father loves you guys enough to allow you into my room."

"And alone," Tyler grinned, wiggling his eyebrows as he jumped onto her bed, lying down beside her. "They were leaving when we got here, and they told us to tell you that they wouldn't return until later tonight."

Rolling his eyes, Caleb grinned, "Tyler, leave the poor child alone. You just scared her awake. I doubt the last thing she wants is you lying on her bed with her."

"No," Tyler grinned back, "I suppose she wouldn't. I mean I'm not _blonde_ enough for her."

"Well you're in luck then," Reid also grinned. He held a mischievous glint in his eyes that had Hermione pulling the comforter up tighter around her while shaking her head at him, "I just so happen to be blonde."

"You also just so happen to look like the certain blonde she would most likely prefer to wake up to," Pogue was the one who said it, so it was him who flew against the wall when Reid jumped onto the bed.

Squealing out in giggles as she was attacked by Tyler and Reid, Hermione was gasping for breath and trying to escape their clutches, "Let – me – go –" she managed to gasp out between breaths.

Rubbing his back as he stood back up from the sudden attack of Hermione's wand, Pogue had half the mind to jump onto her bed and join his brothers in tickling her, but he was stopped by the snow white owl that flew into the window. Caleb's eyes seemed to notice it as well and they both quirked an eyebrow at it. They've heard of how wizarding mail is delivered, but they've never witnessed it before. Not to mention the fact that they've never actually seen an owl before. It was magnificently beautiful. The owl perched itself on the tall stand in the corner of the room and looked at the trio on the bed with watchful eyes. She let out a hoot.

Pausing in their administrations to the teary eyed girl, Reid and Tyler both looked with the owl with apprehension. "Is that…" Reid started to ask, but Hermione was already scrambling out of the bed.

"Hedwig," Hermione greeted with enthusiasm, forgetting about the state of her being nearly undressed in front of four sixteen year old boys, "Is Harry alright?"

When the owl gave a hoot in response along with what looked like a head nod, Tyler climbed out of the bed. "Is that Harry's owl?"

"Yes," Hermione smiled, petting the owl after retrieving her letter from the offered leg. "Caleb, can you make a bowl of water for her please? And Pogue, there's a box of snacks inside my bag," while her friends did what she asked them to, Hermione began to read the letter.

_Hermione,_

_ How's it going in the states? I can't wait until this holiday is over. Ron said something about going to stay with them because of the World Cup Tournament, but I haven't heard anything from him yet. Have you? I've gotten two letters from Padfoot so far, but being locked up in his home doesn't make him feel any different than from when he was in Azkaban. He briefly told me that he's keeping in touch with you as well, but he hasn't told me anything else. I'm just glad to know that he has someone else checking in on him. Thank you; you really are a great friend. Oh and the Dursleys are treating me better now by the way. I just keep rubbing it in their faces that my godfather is an escaped murderer and that we're keeping in touch. I'm allowed to keep my school things in my room with me now – I know that would make you happy because now I'm doing my holiday assignments – and they don't bother me. Dudley's on a new diet because he weighs the same as a baby whale – his school's nurse's words, not mine – and of course this means I have to go on a diet as well. We all do. Uncle Vernon isn't too happy about that, mind you. Which reminds me, do you think you could send me some sweets please? I'm asking Ron too as well. Or not really only just sweets, but anything in general; I'm being starved here. We're all allowed only a quarter of a grapefruit for breakfast every morning, toast for lunch, and soup for dinner. I'm going mental here. Thanks if you can, if not, I understand. Hope your holidays are going well, I'd love to hear from you._

_ -Harry _

"Thanks," Hermione told Caleb and Pogue as they placed a bowl of water and a couple of treats on the stand for Hedwig. "Stay here for a while girl," she told the owl who was now drinking the water, "I'm going to go out and buy things for you to take to Harry, alright."

When Hedwig gave a hoot in response and crooned against Hermione's laughing face, Reid smiled. He missed the owls from home; it was one of his favorite things about being a wizard. And it seemed like Harry had a smart one. "What do you need to get for Harry?" he asked Hermione.

"Food," seeing the confusion in their faces, Hermione laughed. "Apparently his cousin is the size of a baby whale, and Harry is forced on a diet alongside Dudley. He's asking for anything to eat before he goes mental."

"We'll wait for you here then, while you get ready," Pogue said.

Looking down at her pajamas, Hermione was scarlet colored, proving Spike's name for her to be truthful, and nodded her head. "I'll be quick."

Freshly dressed and changed into red colored jean shorts and a white baby tee that seemed to be decorated in grey colored smiling faces, Hermione braided her hair then left the loo. She saw the four brothers all sitting on her bed and watching Hedwig. Turning to see what could be so interesting about Hedwig, she laughed when she saw the tiny fluffy owl buzzing around in hyper-ness. It seemed like Ron used his new owl from Sirius to deliver her a letter as well. Grabbing the letter from Caleb, Hermione joined them on the bed then read it…

_Hermione,_

_ Did you get Harry's owl asking for food too? I was going to use Errol to send him some things, but thought against it. I doubt that useless thing can last with a box filled with things. I'm going to wait until Charlie or Bill arrive here then use one of their owls – Percy's still got a stick up his arse, and it hasn't gotten any looser since he's gotten that position at the Ministry. Even Ginny's annoyed with him. Anyway, how's your holiday going? Dad reckons he's got connections at the Ministry that will give us tickets to the World Cup. If it goes through, would you like to come? Of course that means he's already getting you a ticket, but we figured it would be polite to ask since you're on holiday with your parents in the states. Would they allow it? Have you been keeping in touch with Padfoot? I wrote to him only once so far, but he assures me that he's doing fine. I think he's lying though, the same way Harry does when we ask him how he is. Well anyway, send me back a reply about the World Cup so Mum knows I did warn you and your parents. Also, I want to know all about your holidays, I haven't talked to you since we left Kings Cross. You can send me your letter through Pig._

"Pig?" at the mention of his name, the grey colored owl flew towards Hermione, getting caught in her hair and fluttering about until Reid helped to release him. Scowling at the laughing brothers, Hermione sighed at the owl, "Oh Ron."

Tyler was pushing the cart throughout the store while Pogue threw in all sorts of useless things. Hermione kept rolling her eyes at Pogue and constantly reminded all of them that seeing as how Harry was sneaking behind his aunt and uncle's backs to get this food, and that he couldn't use his wand for magic, it meant that he couldn't have anything that would need to be heated up or would require a refrigerator. Caleb seemed to be the only sensible one and grabbed a couple of boxes of cereal – knowing that Harry could it eat it dry and it would most likely help to keep his stomach feeling like it was full – as well as two loaves of bread and a jar of jam. Pogue was the one who kept insisting that Harry would love something called 'Hot Pockets' and that Hermione could just use a heated charm on it, saying that Harry would appreciate it. Tyler went mostly through crackers and cold cut meats that he claimed was alright even if it wasn't refrigerated, and Reid – knowing the difference in muggle sweets, wizarding sweets, American sweets, and British sweets – threw in bags of chips and a variety of sweets. At the end of their shopping trip, Hermione was worn out and glad to just be out of the store. Each brother threw a huge tantrum until Hermione agreed to buy everything they picked out for her best friend.

"I'll pack them all up," Reid grinned, throwing everything they just brought into a large box.

"Wait," Caleb told him, "Hermione needs to place the charms on the items first."

"I still don't understand what purpose that Hot Pocket thing is going to have for Harry," Hermione grumbled, annoyed that Pogue spent his own money on it and brought three boxes himself, ensuring that Harry would now have a total of sixteen to eat. She had brought one box herself and each box contained four inside of it.

Gasping as if he was offended, Pogue glared at her. "You have not tasted real food if you don't know what that is, Hermione. I'm offended. You wound me. Trust me; you'll get a letter back from Harry begging you to buy him more."

"It is the greatest food known to mankind," Tyler solemnly nodded his head in agreement.

Rolling her eyes, Hermione walked over and sighed, "Whatever then. Just place all the items that need to be charmed to stay heated up, so he can enjoy them properly, in one section."

Once the Hot Pockets, pizza rolls, and mini little hotdogs wrapped in dough were all charmed to stay completely heated for what would last only one month, the four brothers all packed up the food items while Hermione wrote her two letters to her two best friends.

_Harry,_

She decided to write to Harry first.

_ Sorry about all the items I'm sending you. I've made friends here in the states and they were all too pleased to hear you needed food. They took me shopping, and well… you'll see the results. My friend Pogue promises you'll enjoy the Hot Pockets and claims you'll never want to eat anything else once you've tasted it. I tried telling them you would have to hide everything and couldn't exactly use a microwave to heat things up, but they've persuaded me to use a heating charm. All the heated food items are going to stay that way for one month. I know it seems a bit much, but they couldn't agree on what to get and threw tantrums until I agreed to buy everything. I hope it works out for you, and if you need anything else just let me know. I'll gladly get you something else or more of anything. I'm glad to hear that Dudley needs to go on a diet, but it isn't healthy that you need to go on one as well. And you know that normally I would frown upon using Padfoot as a threat, but I agree with you just this once. It needs to be done and I'm glad that they're treating you a little better._

_ My holidays are fine. As I said, I've made friends. Brothers - four of them. And some other friends as well. You wouldn't believe it if I told you, so I'll wait until I see you guys again and tell you and Ron both in person. Yes, Ron has told me and I'll see you then. And yes, I am writing to Padfoot. I had a bit of a problem my first week here and he gave me some great advice; he and Moony both did. I hope your holidays continue to only get better._

_ Love from Hermione_

_ PS. Good – doing your assignments is always a well thing, Harry._

Apologizing to Hedwig for the weight and size of the box, Hermione tied it to the owl's leg then sent her off to Harry as quickly as possible. Then she sighed and started to write to Ron…

_Ron,_

_ I haven't spoken to my parents about it yet, but I know they'll be perfectly fine with it. We're leaving the states the week after Harry's birthday anyway, so I'll be back in London by the time the World Cup arrives. Why is this poor owl named Pig? And why is he acting as if he's had too many sugar cubes? You know he got caught in my hair? And yes, I did get Harry's letter – I just sent him a large box filled with food from the states. My holidays are going nicely, and as I told Harry I won't say too much; you guys would never believe me anyway, so I'll tell you both when I see you guys again. But I have made friends: four brothers who are also vacationing here, and another group. I'm glad to hear you've been keeping in touch with Padfoot as well; it seems we all have been. And tell Percy I said congratulations on his new job. I'm sure he loves it there. It was nice to hear from you, tell me more about your holidays._

_ Love from Hermione_

"Love from?" Tyler asked, peeking over Hermione's shoulder as she tied the letter to the bouncing owl.

Blushing, Hermione nodded her head, "They're my best friends. And I always end my letters like that."

"So if we were to write to you once you return home?" Reid asked, hoping that Hermione wanted to stay friends with them once she left the states.

Continuing to blush, Hermione smiled, "Of course I would put it. We are friends aren't we?"

Two days went by before Hermione got another letter from either of them. She was lying down in bed, texting Reid about plans for the next morning when three things happened at once: Pig and Hedwig both flew in at the same time, and her phone rang. Looking at her phone to see who was calling her, Hermione saw that it was Cordelia. It's been nearly four days since she's last heard from any of them; something about trying to fight an evil law firm. She kept Lindsey a secret from everyone, including her former professor and Sirius. She knew that Sirius would leave hiding and come to her rescue, and she knew Remus would do the same; she needed them to stay safe and protected. She didn't know what Spike them would do once they found out, but she had a feeling it wouldn't be good, and the brothers have all seemed to take a liking to her as well, proving that it wouldn't be smart to tell them anything either. Deciding to ignore the call for now, Hermione picked up Ron's letter first.

_Hermione,_

_ I refuse to tell Percy anything for you. If you even mention anything about the Ministry, he goes into a long and boring lecture. Even Fred and George said they would rather sit through one of Professor Binn's lessons than listen to that prat. You would agree too. We'll find out whether or not Dad got the tickets next week, but Mum says you can come to the Burrow even if he doesn't. Ginny's pleased about that; she says she misses you and she needs another girl around so she doesn't go mental with all us boys. Fred and George have been teasing her about something lately and she's always moody now. Bill and Charlie are always arguing with the twins for teasing her, but even they want you to hurry up and come here so Ginny can have someone to talk to. I don't get it because they haven't even met you, but anything to help Ginny out I guess,_

Hermione smiled as she read the letter from Ron; it sounds like Ginny's becoming a woman now and her poor brothers are going mental with her. She would have to write to Ginny about that later. She continued to read.

_And who are your friends? Four brothers? Do I know them? Do they come to Hogwarts too? You need to be careful, Hermione, you can't trust strangers you know… Agh! I need to hide from Percy right now._

_ Be careful, Ron_

Smiling at the paranoia in Ron's letter, Hermione began to read the one from Harry.

_Hermione,_

_ I love your friend Pogue. He was right, I love the Hot Pockets; they're brilliant. I can't say much right now because I need to clean up, but I just had to let you know. I love them. Thank you for everything that you sent me, I'm sure it's enough to last me until I go to the Burrow. I'm glad that Padfoot and Moony were able to help you with a problem, but what was it? Is it serious? Do you still have a problem? I'll find a way to the states if I have to. I'm glad that you made new friends, and that they know what you are, but you should be careful around them. Have these past three years taught you nothing? Be careful Hermione, I don't want you getting hurt. I love you like a sister, you know! I'll write more when I get the chance._

_ -Harry_

Hermione smiled at the paranoia in Harry's letter as well and started to laugh. It seemed like Pogue was right, but she wouldn't tell him that. Not yet at least. She was just about to write back when her phone began to ring again. "Hullo," she answered, already knowing it was Cordelia.

"Hermione," a panicky voice came through.

Jumping up in her bed, Hermione grabbed her wand just out of pure instinct, "Cordelia? What is it? Is everything alright?"

"Hermione, we need your help with a case."

"Sure. What do you need my help with?"

"There's a wizard here," Cordelia told her, "Spike is on his way to get you. Do you think your other friends can help us out too? The ones you told us about?"

"I can call them," Hermione nodded her head, already climbing out of bed to change her clothes. "What is it?"

"We'll explain it to you guys once you get here," Cordelia said. "But oh, Hermione?"

"Yes?"

"Make sure you have your wand on you."

**A/N: So the very first line in the chapter was something that I've seen in a movie once and I don't remember what movie it was so please don't ask me. Haha, but ever since I saw the movie with my brother, we use that line to sometimes wake each other up. My cousins all use it too now and it's quite amusing. So I thought I'd just throw it in here(:**

**Seeing as how this was originally meant to be just a short, couple paged prologue to the real story, some of you may be wondering why is it dragging on this long until the real story, well I'll tell you(: - a lot of the things that are happening in this story are being answered now before it goes into the sequel. I had a lot of things happening and planned for the original story that most of you would have been confused about and instead of going into super long chapters and flashbacks to explain certain things; I can give long chapters now and go into full detail about things. So when you see something in the sequel to this, you'll already understand it and I can put more into the actual story. So this is like a background/prologue/introduction story thing. I hope you guys don't mind that(: and yes, everything that is happening in this story does have a reason and purpose!**


	7. That's A Demon

That's A Demon

Hermione was standing outside of the hotel and waiting for Spike to come and get her like Cordelia said he was going to. Her eyes kept flittering up to the window that she knew led into her room, and she couldn't believe her luck. Her parents made up the whole excuse of coming to the states to give her a rest from the whole wizarding world thing and abnormal things, but they allowed her to hang out with vampires, slayers, Seers, and the Sons all the time now. Most normal parents would consider their daughter mental if she came out of her room somewhat dressed at ten at night and claimed they were being picked up by a 130 year old vampire, but they only waved her out and told her to have fun and be safe.

"Why the bloody hell are you waiting outside for, eh?"

Turning around to the familiar British tone that Hermione had learned to love already, she had a smile on her face, "Well hullo to you too William," her greeting was followed by a yawn.

Raising an eyebrow, Spike took in the girl's outfit; long black and green checkered pajama pants were tucked into black furred boots while she wore a green colored jumper that reached her thighs over a plain white baby tee. "Your hair's a mess."

Rolling her eyes, Hermione ignored him. She knew it was a mess; it was bushy and tucked into a ponytail, "Well I wasn't exactly planning on going anywhere tonight."

"Touché."

Following Spike down the street, Hermione yawned again. "So what's going on? Cordelia didn't tell me anything really."

"One of your lot is working with one of our lot," was all Spike told her. "What about your mates eh, Scarlet, are they meeting us as well? Cordy said something about asking you to call them up as well."

Nodding her head, Hermione squinted her eyes to get a better look around where they were. She didn't see them yet. "We should run into them somewhere along the path. I called them up and they said they were leaving their hotel already."

"So you talk to anybody from back home?"

"Harry and Ron," Hermione nodded her head, yawning again. "They wrote to me two days ago, and I replied back. I just got their owls again when Cordelia called me."

"Is everything alright?"

"Harry's cousin is on a diet so his aunt and uncle are forcing him on a diet as well," Hermione snorted. "So he asked for food, and Ron was telling me his dad got us all tickets to the World Cup at the end of the holidays."

"World cup?" Spike cocked an eyebrow. "It isn't happening yet."

Realizing that Spike thought she was talking about football, Hermione laughed, "No William, not the football world cup. Ron is a pureblood; his family doesn't know anything about muggles. This is the Quidditch World Cup. It happens every four years, and this is the first one Harry and I are going to. I mean we didn't even know what Quidditch was until we got to Hogwarts."

"Oh," Spike said, bunching up his face to think about it, "That sounds nice."

Faith was rolling her eyes at Cordelia who was still trying to pat down her hair; she's been fussing about her makeup and hair from the moment Hermione entered the office with Spike and her friends all following after her – even Angel was snickering at Cordelia's reaction. Like Hermione, the brothers were all still somewhat dressed for bed. Tyler and Reid were both wearing sweatpants, one black and the other grey, whereas Pogue wore black and red pants matching to Hermione's, and Caleb wore long black jeans. Pogue wore a giant grey hoody over what he told Hermione was nothing, and Caleb wore a plain white t-shirt. Tyler had on a long sleeved plain white t-shirt, and Reid wore a plain black long sleeved t-shirt. You could tell which ones just rolled out of bed by their tussled hair and bed clothes versus Angel's team who was still dressed from earlier and still somewhat neater looking.

Angel was wearing his usual buttoned down black dress shirt and long blue jeans while Spike also wore his usual leather pants, tight shirt, and leather coat. Cordelia was more flashy –she wouldn't be Cordelia if she wasn't – and wore a black pencil skirt with a slit that went up to her thighs and a yellow crop top. Her bangs were bumped up to look like a rooster and her makeup was superb; she even had her spiked heels on. Faith also looked like herself, which had Hermione grinning. She wanted to dress like Faith just once and see how everyone from home reacts to that – dark blue makeup with her hair all crimped, and tight-tight leather pants with an even tighter white t-shirt that has the bottom end of a boot on it; looking as if the shirt were kicking someone.

"Hermione," Cordelia whispered, continuing to bat her eyelashes at Reid who was oblivious to all of it, "Why are we only meeting your friends now?"

"They're shy," Hermione shrugged her shoulders, trying to hold in her laughter.

Standing up from where she was sitting, Faith walked over to the four Sons and examined each of them. "Nice," she said, finally. "Good work Doll Face."

"Doll Face?" Tyler began to snicker, looking over at Hermione.

Glaring at him, Hermione said, "Shut it, Tyler."

"Don't mind him, Sweetheart," Reid told Hermione with a chuckle, "Tyler's just jealous because this girl, Hannah, doesn't call him that anymore."

"Sweetheart?" Cordelia grunted, looking between Hermione and Reid. Then she saw his hair and slumped deeper into her chair. "So you're the blonde's brother?"

"Don't mind her," Faith winked up at Reid, "She hasn't been laid in a while."

"Well we can't all just lie on our backs every second now can we, Faith?" Cordelia said with a scowl at the smirking slayer.

Rolling his eyes, Angel looked apologetically at Reid who was now raising an eyebrow at the smirking Faith and the other three who were laughing hard. "Enough!" he shouted at his two girls then groaned, "We have a child with us."

Looking down at Hermione, Spike smirked now, "Yes, let's not give Scarlet here any ideas for when she runs into the mini me, eh."

"She's blushing," teased Pogue.

"Shut up Pogue, you too William," Hermione threatened them both with her eyes then turned back to Angel. "So what's going on? Cordelia said something about a wizard that you guys need my help with, and something about asking Reid them for help too."

"Faith was running patrols," Angel began explaining to them, "And while at the cemetery she ran into-"

"Wait-" Caleb said, holding up his hands, "You patrol at a cemetery?"

"I'm a vampire slayer," Faith reminded him, looking at him as if he were insane, "Where else would I patrol? The beach?"

Snickering, Reid playfully shoved Caleb's arm then looked down at Faith, "What happened while you were patrolling?"

"I was kicking ass," Faith shrugged her shoulders, "But then suddenly I flew into the air. It was the same way Doll Face made that stalker fly up into the air."

"How'd you get away?" Tyler questioned.

"I flew my stake at him and knocked out his wand then ran," there was a blush on Faith's cheeks that showed she was ashamed of what she did.

"Did you see what he looked like?"

"Long black cloak and a silly looking mask-"

Reid gasped and Hermione turned to him, "What is it Reid?"

"Death Eaters," when everyone continued to look at him funny, Reid said, "Followers of the Dark Lord. I told you all about them, Sweetheart."

Hermione collapsed onto the couch nearest to her, and both vampires could sense the fear coursing through her veins. Rubbing at her now shut eyes, Hermione released a loud sound that crossed between a scream and a grunt. The brothers all looked at each other awkwardly then back at her while the two vampires only stared at each other. Raising an eyebrow, Faith walked over to the couch and poked Hermione with her stake until the girl opened her eyes and narrowed her eyes into a glare that would have made both Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall proud.

"You wanna tell us what's got you all shook up, Scarlet?"

Groaning, Hermione sat up straight, but continued to sit nonetheless. "There was this guy last week who approached me when I was walking home after we killed the stalker," she told them. "He seemed to be waiting for me about half a mile away from my hotel. Real hot looking guy-" Hermione heard all the guys in the office scoff – even Angel, "From some law firm-"

"Lindsey?" Cordelia jumped up. When everyone turned to her, she rolled her eyes, "What? He fits the description."

"I don't remember hearing slimy, evil, soulless, bastard, _evil_…"

"We get the point," Spike interrupted Angel's usual rant.

Grinning widely, Faith threw herself down onto the couch next to Hermione and played with her stake like she always did. "No, but Doll Face did mention he was hot. Hot lawyer? Who else could she be talking about?"

"Also," added Spike, looking at Angel, "He was waiting for her half a mile away from her hotel late at night – that sounds like something the prat would do."

Frowning at the idea of a creep waiting for Hermione late at night, Reid scratched his forehead. "Who is this Lindsey guy? Another vampire?"

"No," Cordelia shook her head. "Lindsey McDonald; he's a lawyer for Wolfram and Hart. They-"

"-Represent demons and vampires and even Death Eaters," Reid nodded his head, letting them know that he already knew about Wolfram and Hart. "I remember hearing about them," turning to Hermione, he folded his arms over his chest. "What exactly did this guy tell you?"

Thinking back to the lawyer's words, Hermione realized she would most likely get yelled at now for keeping this a secret. "Well," she started, "There was something about offering me his protection because I'm a child and he doesn't condone in children being threatened and whatnot. He told me that the stalker was his client, but he didn't care that we killed him because… well because the vampire _was_ stalking me. Then he said something about his firm working for Death Eaters and about how they wanted to kill me more than they want to kill Harry. Pretty much the same as what the stalker told us."

"No," Spike groaned, hitting his head with his hand, "That's not pretty much the same. Pretty Boy offered you protection, Scarlet, which means that something bad is going to happen to you."

"Spike is right Hermione," Angel growled softly. "We've dealt with Lindsey many times before. I actually really want to kill him, but if he wants to protect you then you need to take him seriously. He wouldn't protect someone unless they were truly in danger."

Rolling her eyes at the darkness that took over the four Sons' eyes at Angel's words, Hermione said, "Oh come on, you guys. This is nothing new to me; I'm always having brushes with death."

"Not necessarily," Cordelia reminded her. "They've always been going for Harry, and you've just been in the way."

"It doesn't matter," Hermione shrugged her shoulders. "I've been in a class with Voldemort for a whole year and even spent a couple of hours alone with him. I've been targeted and petrified by a basilisk that was trained to kill muggle-born witches and wizards, and I've faced off with a werewolf while spending an entire year thinking I was protecting my best friend from an escaped murderer, but in actuality I was living with the murderer and petting him for the past three years. So trust me guys, Lindsey's words didn't frighten me."

"Yet once Reid mentioned that the hooded wizard who attacked Faith was a Death Eater, you got all panicky," Spike told her then tapped his forehead, "Vampire senses remember, Scarlet."

"Well I am only a thirteen year old girl," Hermione rolled her eyes again. "I mean I did vomit when I found out I was alone with Voldemort for a couple hours while sitting in a classroom with him all year. I was scared that seeing the basilisk through that mirror would be the last sight I ever saw, and I did scream when Professor Lupin turned into a werewolf. I mean I'm not completely daft."

"Well at least you have enough common sense to know that you should be a little on edge," Tyler sighed then turned to look at Reid. "Reid, can you find out who it is?"

Shaking his head, Reid saw Faith watching him curiously and he ended up rubbing his face with both hands. "I don't have any contacts back in that world. Hermione's the only one from the wizarding world that I've actually spoken to since I left."

"What about you Hermione?" Caleb asked her, "Do you think you can ask Si-"

"Shush," Hermione hissed, quickly jumping up and jumping on him until her hands were muffling his mouth. "Shh… what is the matter with you? They just said that a Death Eater is in LA and you say _his_ name? He's still wanted for murder, and it's the Death Eaters that framed him in the first place. If they find out that any of you know about him, they'll kill you without hesitation."

Nodding his head to show her that he understood what she meant, Caleb massaged his jaw once she removed her hands, "Ouch. For a thirteen year old, you've got a pretty strong grip."

"That's my girl," Faith grinned.

Blushing, Hermione looked up at him, "Sorry; it's just that from now on we can't say his name. For all we know, they could be keeping an eye on me already. I need to protect my friends back home and you guys as well. But if you guys see a rat then by all means please kill it."

"Yuck!" Cordelia shuddered, "I'll leave that to Angel."

"Oh joy," Angel said sarcastically.

"So Sweetheart," Reid turned back to Hermione, "What do we refer to him as then?"

Thinking about it for a couple of seconds then grinning like an insane woman, Hermione started to snicker, "Snuffles," it wasn't as if they could use the name Padfoot anymore, seeing as how all of the Death Eaters most likely knew that was Sirius's nickname.

Hermione was packed between Tyler and Spike, while Caleb stayed back at the office with Cordelia, and Pogue searched the sewers with Angel. Faith and Reid searched the demon bars, looking to see if any of them heard about Death Eaters in LA. The trio was in charge of patrolling the cemetery. Reid was a little iffy about even allowing Hermione out of the office, but soon realized that she would be the safest one right now – she had a vampire and one of the Sons of Ipswich with her; plus she herself is a bright witch.

"What exactly do we do if we find one?" Tyler asked Spike.

Pointing to the stake in Tyler's hand, Spike said, "Stick them with the pointy end." _(a/n: can anybody guess what this is from?)_

"Got it," Tyler nodded his head. Attempting to twirl the stake in his hands the same way Faith always does, he looked over at Hermione who was chewing on her bottom lip while staring into nothing, "You alright there, Hermione?"

Turning to Hermione once he heard Tyler ask her if she was alright, Spike said, "What is it, Scarlet?"

"I'm just thinking," Hermione frowned. "Why on earth would there be a Death Eater in LA?"

"They probably knew that you would be here," Tyler shrugged his shoulders.

"But how?" Hermione asked him. "I mean, _I_ didn't even know I was going to be here until the day I got back home from school. But there was my stalker and then Lindsey. Now there's a Death Eater?"

"It is a little fishy," Spike nodded his head in agreement. "Do you want to owl Snuffles?"

"No," Hermione quickly shook her head, "I don't want anyone from home knowing about this. I have a feeling that that's what the Death Eaters want. If I tell Snuffles, he'll come out here and so would Remus, and if they come out here then Harry will be on his own. Pettigrew most likely told them everything he knows about Harry and he knows a lot since we always talked around him thinking he was just a rat."

"Do you think this could all be a setup just to separate you guys?" Tyler asked.

Faith expected Reid to be a little freaked out once they entered their first demon bar, but instead he seemed intrigued by everything. The demons were all scattered around, and to his surprise they weren't the only humans in the bar. Feeling Faith tugging on his hand, Reid raised an eyebrow at the warmth circling him, but he didn't say anything about it and remained silent while she led him over to a green demon. The demon's eyes were red; he had cut down red horns on his forehead, and short, shaggy highlighted hair. Wearing a suit, this demon seemed to be the life of the party.

"Well if it isn't the heavens' Faith," the demon greeted them warmly, pulling Faith into a welcoming hug.

Grinning, Faith hugged him back then pulled away, "Lorne, this is Reid."

Turning to the watchful blonde, Lorne nodded his head then bowed just a little. "Reid Garwin – it's an honor to meet a Son."

"You know who I am?" Reid suspiciously asked.

"Lorne is an Empathy demon," Faith explained. "He can get auras off of people and tell when you're lying and whatnot. He can also tell your future when you sing for him."

"I'm not singing."

"Of course you're not, Poodle Cakes," Lorne rubbed Reid's shoulders before giving them a quick squeeze then grinning. "Come on now. I think I might have answers for your questions."

"Poodle Cakes?" Reid whispered to Faith who seemed to be trying to hold in her laughter. Shaking his head, he allowed Faith to walk in front of him while he followed them. "_That's_ a demon?"

Angel was proud of the way Pogue handled his first vampire. They hadn't even gotten too far in the sewers when they were attacked. The vampire lunged directly for Pogue and tackled him into the disgusting water. Instead of being grossed out or panicking though, Pogue called on his powers and flew the vampire off of him – jumping up, he then punched the vampire while Angel stood on the sidelines and watched him, waiting for the moment when he would need to jump in and save the night. The moment never came though… Pogue reached into his pocket and pulled out the stake. Within seconds the vampire was dust.

"So what is it that you do exactly?" Caleb asked Cordelia. He was a little annoyed that he was casted for babysitting duty, but he also understood that he was going to be the first one who ascended, and seeing as how Cordelia couldn't really leave the office, he would be the first choice to stay back and protect her. His powers alone should hopefully be enough for any vampires or demons that try to attack them here.

"Well I was once just the sarcastic bitch," Cordelia informed him while filing her nails and not looking away from her 'work,' "But after Doyle kissed me before killing himself, I became the Seer. I occasionally get visions that lead us to where people need saving."

Not wanting to get into an explanation about who Doyle was or what she meant by the kiss passing on his powers to her, Caleb nodded his head then looked around. "So you don't go out on the hunts?"

"I do sometimes," Cordelia shrugged her shoulders. "Most of the time I do, but nights like this when it's an army of our people, I stay back. When I get a vision I tend to scream out in agony then hold onto something and sometimes fall. I don't like getting a vision in the middle of fighting because everyone forgets about saving their own asses and they run over to make sure I'm alright, and the higher our group is – the higher the chances are of me getting a vision."

"Oh..."

Tyler ran across the three headstones and reached out to block Hermione. Spike was in a battle with three vampires at once and Hermione was firing spells at the five who were aiming for her. Covered in dust from his own kills, and blood from where he got bit, Tyler tried to help Hermione out, but before he could reach her he was flown into a headstone. Somebody screamed his name; it was a British accent. Another British accent called out Hermione's name –no… they didn't call her Hermione, they called her, Scarlet. _Good, _Tyler thought to himself as everything turned black, _Spike's with her._

"Scarlet!" Spike shouted.

Turning around, Hermione let out a scream as all the vampires surrounding her moved on the side for her. Not bothering to watch as Spike killed off his own enemies, Hermione watched in fear as the familiar piercing blue eyes peered down at her while a smooth pale hand brushed away the long pale blonde hair over his shoulders. Like always, he held the stupid dragon cane in his hands while moving closer to her. "Lucius Malfoy," she hissed out.

"Miss Granger," he sneered then did a little mocking curtsy, "What a pleasant surprise."

"I highly doubt this is a surprise," Hermione sneered back. "What's the matter, Lucius? Tired of sitting on the sidelines while your boss fails to kill one child so you decided to kill another one?"

Spike shook his head and scratched at both his ears. "Scarlet – now is not the time to antagonize the man trying to kill you."

"You guys do it," Hermione shrugged her shoulders with a smirk before glaring at the confused Lucius. "I'm not scared of you."

"You should be, little girl."

"I am not little," Hermione frowned, "I'm thirteen. You know, just the same age as your son, and I highly doubt you consider him as a little boy. Well then again, maybe you call him a little girl too? I know I did right after I slapped him last year."

Spike snarled and tried to lunge forward but he was held back by an invisible force, as the back of Lucius's hand connected to Hermione's cheek, "How dare you speak of my son, you filthy Mudblood."

"That's funny," Hermione snorted, holding her throbbing cheek and spitting blood out by Lucius's feet, "That's what he called me too right before he cried as I slapped him."

Hermione didn't think it was possible for eyes to become that tiny, but Lucius proved her wrong as he glared down at her. "I'm going to kill you."

Laughing, Hermione felt the thrill coursing through her body. Now she understood why Faith liked to play with the vampires before she killed them. This was exciting, fun – it chilled her blood and made her fingers twitch. Instead of becoming frightened like she normally would be right now, Hermione found herself looking forward to being attacked by a full grown wizard. This was exciting. "How original," Hermione rolled her eyes. "Isn't that the same thing Voldemort once told Harry?" tilting her head as Lucius released a loud growl from his throat while pressing his cane against her chest, Hermione nodded her head, "Yes, I believe that is. I believe he told Harry the same line about three times. But as we both know, it never worked out that way… now did it?"

Reid tapped his fingers on the table while Lorne made him and Faith wait for him. Something was wrong. He felt antsy, and he felt nauseous. One of his brothers was hurting, but he didn't know which one. And they weren't hurt too badly. Thinking that one of them probably just got knocked out while fighting, Reid wanted to leave and find them, but Faith told him that they needed to talk to Lorne. She told him that Lorne is the one they go to when they need to find somebody. They normally make Angel or Cordelia sing for him, and she even sang for him a couple of times before as well, but Lorne seemed to already know what they were there for. If he saw them coming before any of them sang, then it meant the person they were looking for came to see him already.

"Will you stop fidgeting?"

"Something's wrong," Reid told Faith, shaking his head. "I can feel it; one of my brothers is hurt."

Sitting up straight, Reid watched as the amusement left Faith's eyes, and for the first time he was able to see her as the slayer. She was serious now; concerned for someone she made it a point to protect. "Which one is it? Is it serious? Can you find out where they are?"

"I don't know," Reid shook his head. "A couple of minutes ago though, I felt like I lost the connection to one of them. He isn't dead," he saw Faith release a huge sigh of relief once he said that, "But it's like he's sleeping."

"And you can't figure out which one it is?" Faith asked him.

Reid shook his head again, "No."

"Should we leave then?" she asked him.

Thinking about it, Reid admired Faith right now. She was just telling him how important it is that they wait for however long Lorne needed them to so they could find out where the Death Eater is and how this will all turn out, but now she's willing to leave behind the way she's used to working because of his senses. "No," Reid finally shook his head, "It's alright – you said that we need to talk to Lorne, and he might know something that we don't. I'm sure I'm just paranoid right now."

Spike tried to fight against the invisible forces holding him back. He looked over at Tyler every now and then and kept releasing breaths that he didn't have; the Son was still alive. The spell that he was hit with just put him to sleep for now. What shocked Spike though was that it was Hermione who hit Tyler with the spell, not the Death Eater. Spike tried to shout out for Hermione, but his voice was gone. Hermione also placed a silencing spell on him. It was the Death Eater – who he learned was the mini me's father – that paralyzed him, but it was the young witch who silenced him. Spike was confused. Why did Hermione knock out Tyler and silence him? The whole point of them being with her was to protect her.

"_Crucio_!"

Shouting out in agony as she felt every bone in her body writhe around in pain while her blood was being set on fire, Hermione tried to blank out her mind. She told herself that she would be fine. Draco lived through this. Reid lived through this. She would live through this as well. "_Ex-Ex…_" groaning, Hermione tried to sit up, but the curse was still being thrown onto her, "_Expelliarmus_!"

"Foolish Mudblood!" Lucius shouted at her as his wand flew from his hand and into Hermione's.

Spike watched with widened eyes, while he made a self-promise to rip Lucius and every one of his blood members to tiny little pieces, as he witnessed the young girl struggle against the bloodcurdling curse then force herself to stand up with wobbly knees. "Voldemort was defeated once, Lucius," Hermione sneered at the stunned blonde wizard in front of her, her voice just as shaky as her body, "He'll be defeated again. But this time, it won't just be Harry who kills him for good," pointing her wand at Lucius, Hermione shouted; "_Petrificus Totalus_!" making sure that Lucius fell to the ground as she hit him with the full body binding curse, Hermione turned her wand onto Tyler then Spike, "_Finite Incantatem_!"

Feeling his body being released by whatever spell just released him, Spike reached Hermione just as she hit the ground, "Scar-"

"Don't…" Hermione's voice was low and quivering. Her pulse was slowing down, "He… up… hear… listen… shh…"

Picking Hermione up and making sure that he had both wands in his pocket, Spike walked over to where Tyler was groaning and just waking up. In his arms, Hermione was unconscious, but Spike caught enough of whatever it was she was trying to tell him. The Death Eater was still alive and awake – he could hear everything that was being said. Hermione silenced him and knocked out Tyler for a reason. Telling Tyler to keep his mouth shut and not say anything, Spike knew that he had to get Hermione out of there and to safety before the spell wore off and the Death Eater woke up. Getting Hermione to safety was the only thing that was preventing him from running over there and killing the Death Eater while he still had the chance.

_**I know that Angel is based in the late 90's and early 00's and right now Harry Potter would be around 1993, but in my mind it's all based in 2010. It just makes things so much easier for me. Or even if they don't have a year; it's all just spoken of by months and days, but they don't mention the year – that works too.**_

**** has anyone else been having a hard time logging in to their accounts? I've been trying to log in and upload this since yesterday.**


	8. The Covenant

The Covenant

Reid and Faith were fidgeting now, both tapping on the table with their fingers, and ignoring the sodas that one of Lorne's bartenders brought for them a couple of minutes before. Reid had been relieved to sense that his fallen brother had woken up, but now he was antsier than before. Faith felt that something was going on as well. It was as if they were missing something important and Lorne was purposely holding them back. Faith was just about to grab Reid and leave, when Lorne burst into the room. Faith took one look at the guilt on the demon's face and she growled at him – it seemed like her thoughts were correct.

"Everyone is fine," Reid tensed at the demon's chosen first words when Faith jumped up. "Sit down Faithy Poo," Lorne insisted then took his own seat between the two who looked as if they wanted nothing more than to kill him right now.

"What do you mean everyone is fine?" Reid hissed at the demon.

"I couldn't let _you_ leave," Lorne sighed. "You aren't meant to be seen," he told Reid. "The Death Eater that you are searching for came in here right before you guys did. You missed him by only a few minutes. I saw you in him, but I know all about the Sons of Ipswich and you have your own destiny to live for."

"What do you mean you saw me in the Death Eater?"

"What do you mean he has his own destiny to live for?"

"I mean," Lorne sighed again, downing a light blue colored drink in one quick sip, "That you have your own story to fight for. I cannot tell you too much, but you and your brothers have a covenant to protect, Reid Garwin. If I told you that the Death Eater was fighting with the very young witch you made it your duty to protect, you would have run to that cemetery and you would have been spotted."

Reid jumped up and his eyes were beginning to turn to their onyx shade again, but Faith's hand on his wrist calmed him down… just a little. "You mean to tell me that you kept us waiting in here for you to give us information while the Death Eater was fighting with Hermione? She's only a child."

"Tyler and Spike were with her," Faith reminded Reid in a low voice, not wanting to see what happened when he lost his cool. Something told her that even a slayer wouldn't be able to control him once that happened.

Nodding his head, Lorne didn't seem to be frightened by the shouting teen. "Please give Miss Granger more credit," he told the pissed off blonde, "She knows how to defend herself. And she seems to think the same way I do."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," Lorne chuckled, "That when your stepfather attacked her, Miss Granger had enough common sense to knock out your brother. If-"

"My…" Faith felt Reid tense in her hand and she gave him a curious look. Hermione told them only a little about the Sons of Ipswich, and she knew that Draco Malfoy was Reid's half-brother, but nothing else was really said about them. Hermione felt it wasn't her life story to announce to people. "You mean to tell me that the Death Eater in LA is Lucius Malfoy?" Reid's voice was low, his throat vibrating with the scream that he wanted to release.

Lorne tilted his head only once in a half nod. "Yes. And if Mr. Simms were to use his powers to defend Miss Granger then _you_ would be hunted as well. Miss Granger seems to know how important it is to not give Lucius any knowledge that the Sons of Ipswich are in LA. Not to mention that if he knew you and Miss Granger were acquaintances and that you were helping to protect her from him… well put it this way – nothing good will come of it."

Looking from Lorne to Reid, who was now biting on his lips in frustration with a bothered look in his face, Faith spoke up, "Doll Face realized that Lucius Malfoy would most likely target Reid more than her?"

"He wants me dead," Reid nodded his head and pulled away from Faith. "He told me himself. I told him that I didn't want to become a Death Eater and that I wouldn't give my powers to the Dark Lord. In turn he kicked me out and told me that once my brother turned sixteen, he would find me and have my own brother kill me."

Nodding her head to show that she understood what he was saying, Faith said, "Doll Face is protecting you."

"As I said," Lorne told Reid, "I saw your destiny when Lucius came to me. You and your brothers have your own story to play out. And the Covenant should not be interfering with Harry Potter."

"I'm not going to sit around and allow my stepfather to hurt Hermione," Reid glared at Lorne, his onyx colored eyes narrowing.

"Of course you aren't," Lorne smiled softly. "I didn't say you would. But you cannot be seen. You need to allow the course of things to play out on their own. Right now you aren't even on Lucius's mind – if he catches any glimpse of you or any of your brothers then you will have Death Eaters back in your home town and the Covenant will be at risk. You need to stay hidden. Once your own battle has been defeated then you can return."

Cordelia was wiping Hermione's forehead with a cold cloth while Spike sat on the edge of the bed next to her. They were downstairs in Angel's little makeshift home, and Hermione was lying on Angel's bed. Caleb called Pogue's phone once he saw Spike carrying a shaking Hermione into the office. They tried calling Reid and Faith too, but for some reason both of their phones were turned off. Angel stayed upstairs with the three brothers, trying to figure out why Hermione would have knocked out Tyler and silenced Spike.

"Where's the Sweetheart?" Reid shouted, bursting through the door.

"Downstairs," Angel told him then turned to Faith. "We tried calling you."

"We went to Lorne," Faith shook her head, watching as Reid ignored the protests of his brothers and ran downstairs towards Hermione.

Staying upstairs, Faith explained everything that Lorne told them while Angel hit a desk at the demon's idiotic cryptic message, and the three Sons all looked at each other. Whatever destiny Lorne was talking about included them as well. Tyler remembered hearing something that Hermione told Spike right before she passed out, and he told the group. It seemed like Hermione didn't want anything to be said in front of Lucius Malfoy; not even their names.

"What happened to her?" Reid asked, entering the room.

Lifting his head up, Spike snarled. Not so much at the boy in front of him, but at the memory of what occurred just an hour before. "We were at the cemetery when he attacked. Scarlet knocked out Tyler and the Death Eater froze me so that I couldn't move. I thought Scarlet would release me, but instead she placed a silencing spell on me so I couldn't say anything. I had to stand there – not able to do anything to protect her," Cordelia smiled pitifully up at Reid who nodded his head at her. Spike took a great liking to the young witch and blamed himself for her getting hurt. "She taunted him and he slapped her, but instead of freezing up like I thought she would, she laughed and taunted him some more."

"She taunted him?" Reid dropped his jaw. He wanted to laugh at the idea of the thirteen year old girl taunting Lucius Malfoy, but he couldn't work the laughter out of his mouth.

"It's our fault really," Faith sighed, entering the room with everyone else, "We tend to taunt vampires before we stake them and Doll Face witnessed it when we killed her stalker."

"You would've been proud of her too," Spike smirked. "She's bloody brilliant with her lines. I didn't think she had it in her, but I think she might just put you up for competition, Faith."

Grinning, Faith reached the bed. "I'm looking forward to that."

Groaning, Hermione heard people talking all around her. As soon as the sound escaped her lips she tried to roll over, but it was pointless. Her body was in too much pain to do something as simple as moving. She tried to ask what time it was, but her voice came out in a croak. Somebody was pressing a glass of water to her mouth and she allowed them to help her drink it. Slowly opening her eyes, Hermione blinked rapidly and looked at everyone. Her head was pounding, and her insides felt as if she's been run over while being set on fire.

"Malfoy," Hermione managed to gasp out as she remembered what happened to her.

"We went back, but he was gone," Pogue told her.

"My wand," Hermione muttered, feeling around her. "Where's my wand?"

Handing the wand to the flustered looking girl, Cordelia tried to make Hermione lay back down. "You need to sleep, Hermione. I called your mom at the hotel already and told them that we got caught up in watching movies at my place and we both fell asleep. I said that I woke up to use the bathroom and realized what happened. She agreed that I shouldn't wake you up."

"Thanks," Hermione muttered then pointed her wand at the purse on the table next to the bed, "_Accio _cramps potion_,_" grinning as a purple colored potion flew out of her purse and into her hands, Hermione opened the vial then swallowed the whole thing. Shuddering as the cold liquid slipped past her lips and down her throat into her belly, she made a face, "Yuck! I hate cherry."

"You keep a potion for cramps on you at all times?" Reid asked with a cocked eyebrow.

Stretching her body in relief, Hermione saw the widened stares from everyone and she giggled as she jumped out of the bed. "You never know when you're going to get a cramp. I wasn't sure if it would work at all, to be honest. Having your bones on fire while being run over by a car definitely doesn't classify as a cramp, but it was worth a shot."

Cringing at the description of the pain Hermione went through, Caleb meekly smiled. "It looks like it worked."

"It did," Hermione grinned in response. "I'm hungry."

"I'll run out and buy breakfast," Cordelia said, jumping up quickly. "It's six in the morning."

"Six?" Hermione gasped. "How long have I been sleeping for?"

"Around two hours," Caleb yawned. "We heard Spike's side of the story. Want to tell us yours now?"

"Yeah," Tyler grumbled, "Like why you put me to sleep?"

It took ten minutes of persuasion, but Angel finally gave in and allowed Hermione to use his shower so that she could get cleaned up. Everyone wanted to hear why she did what she did, but Hermione insisted on showering first – claiming that she was covered in mud and what looked suspiciously like blood. Reid reluctantly backed her up and said that using a cleaning spell isn't the same as having an actual shower, especially when you've just suffered one of the unforgivable curses. Thanking Reid for his support, Hermione beamed when Angel sighed and gave in. Digging through the duffle bag that she refused to go anywhere without, Faith pulled out some clothes for Hermione then led her to the shower while everyone else went upstairs. Spike was reluctant in leaving Hermione's side, but Faith reminded him that the girl is only thirteen years old and was going to take a shower so there was nothing he could do for her at the moment without making Hermione extremely uncomfortable.

"Where's Hermione?" Cordelia asked when walking into the office, thanking Pogue and Tyler as they took the bags of food and box filled with drinks from her hands.

"Shower," Angel snorted.

"Did she say why she knocked out Tyler?" Cordelia asked, taking off a coat and looking as if she stopped at home and took a quick shower as well.

"Nope," Tyler shook his head, digging through the bags to see what she brought for them to eat. "She insisted on taking a shower. We spent most of the time arguing with her until she got her way."

Laughing, Cordelia was about to tell them that there was nothing in the world that could get in the way of a girl and her shower, but she was cut off by the sudden appearance of Faith and Hermione. "Did you take a bloody shower too?" Spike asked Faith in an accusing voice.

"Of course I did," Faith said blankly as if it were the most obvious thing. "I spent most of the night in the cemetery and then in a demon bar."

Doing a quick look over at Hermione's outfit, Reid chuckled. "Leather suits you, Sweetheart."

"Shut up," Hermione growled at Reid then took the offered breakfast burrito from Tyler. "Thanks."

Once they all had some sort of food item in their hands, everyone gathered around a table then listened as Hermione began to explain how they were walking around the cemetery when Lucius attacked them. Tyler would interrupt every now and then to tease Hermione about the black leather shorts and red tank top that she was wearing, but Reid was too busy staring at Faith. Like Hermione, her hair was damp and he saw how it waved around her shoulders; proving that she flat ironed her hair every morning then crimped it. She was wearing a black leather skirt with a dark blue crop top that had a pair of brass knuckles on it, and her usual boots, but he saw that she wasn't wearing any makeup. It's been only a day since he met her, but she seemed like the type of girl who always made sure she wore her darkened eyeliner, but now… there was an innocent look about her – like she was still a child who sometimes wanted to just curl up under a huge blanket and pretend that monsters were just a scary movie.

"Reid," Hermione called his name. Turning away from Faith who just gave him a curious look, Reid saw Hermione looking worried about something. "Are you alright?" she asked him.

Nodding his head and clearing his throat, Reid popped a hash brown into his mouth. "So why did you knock out Tyler?"

"Seriously guys," Tyler jumped into the conversation, "Can everyone please stop saying that she knocked me out. She used her magic and placed a deep sleeping spell on me."

"Aww," Pogue teased, "Someone's ashamed that he got knocked out by a thirteen year old girl."

"Shut up," Tyler warned his brother.

Chuckling while everyone laughed, Angel shook his head, "Okay everyone, settle down now. Hermione, can you tell us why you used your wand and placed a deep sleeping spell on Tyler?" Angel smirked after his question and he caught the scowling glare that Tyler was giving him.

"I thought it was obvious," when Hermione saw that everyone was blankly staring at her and obviously waiting for her answer, she shrugged her shoulders. "We can't have Lucius knowing that the Sons of Ipswich are in LA."

Faith looked over at Reid and they both exchanged a slight head nod. "It's the same as Lorne said then."

"Lorne?" eating one of her own hash browns, Hermione cocked an eyebrow. "Who's Lorne?"

Hermione listened in interest as Faith and Reid both explained their meeting with the demon in the karaoke bar, and she found herself somewhat giddy at the idea of a demon who could read your future by listening to you sing. The demon world fascinated her in a way that she couldn't describe. Making a mental note to have Faith take her to this bar so she could meet the demon, Hermione heard how the demon seemed to have the same theory as her. It annoyed her that he kept them away while she got tortured, but she was mostly glad that he kept Reid away from the cemetery. If Lucius found out about Reid – nothing good could from it.

"Exactly," Hermione said once Reid and Faith had finished talking, "If Tyler's eyes were to turn all black then Lucius would have realized he was a Son. Tyler is still underage – you all are. You may be strong now, but until each of you fully ascends you won't have a chance against a fully grown wizard who practices the dark arts for fun. He would have focused more on Tyler than me, and Tyler might have been killed."

Scoffing, Tyler rolled his eyes. "Thanks for your concern Hermione, but I highly doubt he would have ignored you just for me. It's you that's going to bring the Dark Lord down and help to kill him."

"But he can always deal with me," Hermione reminded everybody, "Lucius Malfoy is the Governor of Hogwarts and his son is my classmate. He can get to me whenever he wants to-"

"If he can get to you anytime he wants to," Faith interrupted, "Then why is he in LA to kill you now?"

"Because in LA, I'm on my own," Hermione wiggled both her eyebrows, "But back home, I'm protected. It would be hard to kill me under the nose of Dumbledore. Not to mention Harry and Ron are my best friends and we're always together, and all the Weasleys look out for me too," clearing her throat when she realized she was starting to ramble again, Hermione continued, "So as I was saying; he can get me whenever he wants to, but to catch one of the Sons on his own – there would be no way he could resist in killing you."

Cordelia nodded her head in agreement with what Hermione just said, "Until you guys ascend, you're all vulnerable. Your powers haven't truly manifested yet, and alone you guys are weaker. Kill one of them and the other three are pretty much screwed."

"And if he did let you live last night," Spike spoke up for the first time, understanding what Hermione was trying to say, "Then he would have probably followed you to the others."

Reid nodded his head as he thought about it. "He wouldn't have killed you, Ty," he turned to his shocked brother, "He would have followed you. He knows enough about us to know that we would travel together. He would have been looking for me and one of two things would have happened."

"What's that?" Caleb asked.

Hermione frowned, "Lucius would have either killed all of you right there or he would have weakened you by torture then return back home with all four of you."

"Then the day that we ascend he would force us to hand over our powers to the Dark Lord," Reid spat out bitterly.

"So that's why I knocked you out last night, Tyler. I didn't want him to find out who you are."

"And me?" Spike cocked an eyebrow, watching her closely. "What was the point of silencing me?"

"You were about to call me Scarlet," Hermione sighed.

"You silenced me because of a bloody nickname!" Spike shouted at her.

Too tired to flinch away at the loudness of Spike's annoyed voice, Hermione sighed again. "Only you call me that, William. Lucius had no idea who you were last night or he would have tried to pull you over to his side, but knowing him he's going to do some research and he'll find out who you are. I didn't want to chance him hearing anything you said because he could use a Polyjuice Potion to trick me into trusting him and telling him something important. I mean, it's not guaranteed that he would be _that_ desperate to get to me, but there's always the possibility."

Angel remained silent for the entire exchange. He stood in the corner of the room with his arms folded over his chest, just watching and observing everything that was being said. He watched as Hermione stood her ground, and as the realization of what she was saying sunk into everyone's faces, Angel realized something, "You thought it through right on the spot," he finally spoke up. Hermione nodded her head although she knew that it was a statement and not a question. "You're prepared for what's coming."

"I won't let them kill Harry," Hermione nodded her head. Her lips were pressed into a tight line as she stuck her chin out.

Faith tilted her head at what Hermione just claimed. They weren't talking about protecting Harry. Everyone was determined to kill Hermione, but she just vowed to protect her best friend instead of herself. Cordelia sighed then stood up to answer the ringing phone as she stared at the young witch with pity in her eyes. The four Sons all silently nodded their heads in agreement at something only they understood, and the two vampires continued to silently stare at the young witch. A war was coming, and although the opposing side was making it seem like Harry Potter was the main target; it was really this very girl that they were aiming for. Instead of being more focused on saving herself, Hermione was determined to protect the unsuspecting Harry Potter.

Hermione had the heart of a gazelle, but the mind of a tiger. They were worried. Anyone who acted and thought like Hermione was a dangerous weapon. She didn't care about what happened to herself, just as long as her best friend lived in the end. Hermione was going to get hurt or killed, and by the look in her eyes they knew they would lose. They wanted to help her, but they could see that they couldn't. Hermione was fighting an early war and she was standing alone.


	9. An Evil Man's Ballad

An Evil Man's Ballad

Hermione was ecstatic. It had been two weeks since the attack from Lucius Malfoy and she had only one more week until it was time for her to return back to London. She wasn't ecstatic that she was leaving – because the thought alone made her cry – but she was ecstatic that Angel finally agreed to allow Faith to take her to _Caritas_. Hermione had been begging to go ever since the day she found out about it, but Angel claimed she was too young to go into a bar filled with demons that would most likely end up trying to kill her, not to mention that the bar served alcohol. Faith argued for her, but in the end she always said that she wouldn't go behind Angel's back… something about him being the one who saved her and what not.

Hermione and the Sons became usuals at the office and would always accompany the odd band of vampires, slayer, and Seer on their little missions to help rid the world of evil. Reid was always forced to wear a beanie with the hood of his sweater over his head because they didn't want to chance running into Lucius and having him find out about Reid, but they never ran into him. They suspected that he was lying low, trying to rally up as much vampires and demons as he could, but they didn't let it worry them for now. Angel and Spike just made it a point to kill _anything _with pointy teeth, claiming that they were helping to lessen Voldemort's followers with each stake at a time.

Cordelia and Angel weren't coming with them tonight because of a last minute vision of hers that called them into the sewers. So it was only Faith and Spike who arrived at the hotel to pick up with the witch and four Sons. Reid's eyes lit up when he saw Faith walking down the street and he didn't see the knowing smirk that Hermione had plastered on her pink painted lips. "You look hot, Doll Face," Faith grinned once they reached them.

Hermione blushed and she laughed when Spike gave her a funny look. "Oi! You're only thirteen; you don't need to be wearing all that junk on your face."

"I already heard this speech from Reid them," Hermione rolled her eyes. "And it's only a little eyeliner and some lip gloss," then she smiled up at Faith who just linked her arm into hers. "Thanks Faith. You look quite hot as well."

Spike muttered to himself while the four Sons walked with him, just a couple of feet behind the now giggling girls. Every now and then Faith and Hermione would look back at them then start laughing again. Reid was speechless. He was used to seeing Faith with leather and makeup, but for some reason it was different this time. The midnight blue leather dress was strapless and showed off the top half of her breasts as it tightly hugged her body and stopped at her thighs. Her leathered boots only made her seem like a dangerous seductress whereas the blue eye shadow, eyeliner, and lipstick gave her an angel in a devil's body disguise. Even Hermione seemed more dressed up than she normally would be; a short black jean skirt with a red colored tube top – making her look more like a young woman than a young child. The Sons grumbled with her all day as they watched her rub the potions into her hair to tame it. It took four hours to get rid of the bushiness and make it sleeker looking. Instead of her normal slippers, Hermione threw on a pair of black and red sneakers that added a seductive innocence to her outfit. For most girls, a little bit of eyeliner and lip gloss while wearing shoes, a skirt, and a tube top would be a normal school day. But they could tell that it was extravagant for Hermione.

They knew that she had her wand in the purse she held onto, while Faith also had her purse filled with stakes, crosses, a crossbow, holy water, and daggers – all thanks to a spell from Hermione – and the thought made them laugh a little. One look at Faith and everyone would already see that she was a bad girl, and they had no idea how correct they were in presuming so, but then they would take one look at Hermione and see the young and protected little sister figure, but they were also wrong. Anyone could take one look at Hermione and see a sheltered innocence, but they would be dead wrong; this one young girl had seen more evil than most girls her age had. She fought in more battles than anyone could guess just by looking at her, and with one look at her outfit for the night and the makeup on her face, they would expect to find makeup, pictures, a cell phone, and even an iPod inside her purse, but the kicker was that they would instead find: a wand, potions, healing salves, a dagger – courtesy of Faith – and some empty vials.

"Butterbeer for the young lady," Lorne grinned as he approached the table.

Hermione's eyes lit up as she accepted the bottle and she moaned in ecstasy at the taste. "Oh thank you. I thought I would have to wait until I went school shopping before I could drink this again. I didn't know you served butterbeer here."

"We don't normally," the demon smiled down at her. He liked the young witch, "But when Angel Cakes called me to make sure that it was alright if they brought you here, I ordered a couple cases. I know it's legal in your world for you to drink it now, and I figured it's only fair that you get to drink as well, since you _are_ in a bar."

Grinning, Hermione nodded her head. "Thank you, that was very kind of you."

"Anytime my fair lady," Lorne winked then gave the four Sons a bottle as well. "The same goes for you four. I would feel safer knowing that you four are drinking alcohol that is legal for your age, then drinking whatever Faith and the blood man here are going to order."

"Thanks," they all said, then once Lorne was out of ear shot Tyler leaned into Hermione. "What is this?"

"Butterbeer," Hermione grinned, taking another sip from her bottle. "It's really good. They serve it in all the pubs in the wizarding world."

"They allow thirteen year olds to drink beer?" Faith asked with an envious voice. "That's not fair."

"Only butterbeer," Reid was already enjoying his bottle. "You need to be at least seventeen to drink firewhiskey. I've missed this. I used to sneak some of Lucius's bottles when he wasn't home, after I learned the truth of who I really was."

"I want a taste," Faith said, pulling the bottle away from a reluctant Reid. Putting the bottle to her lips, she tilted the bottle then swallowed a large gulp. Her lips curled up into a wide grin and she nodded her head, "This is good."

Grinning, Hermione nodded her head in agreement, "Told you so."

Looking around the bar as Reid and Faith began to argue about the bottle that she didn't want to give back to him, Hermione snickered as Spike began to get into an argument with Caleb and Pogue about something that she didn't want to understand. Tyler seemed to have the same idea as her though and he looked around as well. He seemed too amused at the idea of all sorts of breeds of demons hanging out together and drinking while laughing. There was a pink skinned demon with green horns that drank what looked like a mixture between mud and orange juice that was flirting with a scaly looking demon with red slanted eyes and a long tail.

"Hello, little darling."

Already recognizing the familiar voice, that she spoke to only once before, Hermione turned around to face Lindsey. Spike and Faith were the only two who stiffened while everyone else looked confused. "Hullo Lindsey."

"Lindsey?" Pogue frowned, "The lawyer Lindsey?"

Nodding his head to Pogue's, Spike snarled up at the lawyer standing at their table. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm taking swimming lessons," Lindsey replied coolly. "What else would I be doing in a bar?"

"You may not be a vampire, but I'll stake you anyway," Faith glared at the beautiful, evil, man. "After all, you of all people know how much I love to do that. At least this time it won't be an innocent human that I'm killing."

Reid gave Faith a weird look at her words. She killed a human before? "Calm down, Faith," Hermione told her friend, "Violence isn't allowed in here. Is there something I can help you with, Lindsey?"

"I just thought I'd give you a heads up," Lindsey shook his head.

"Another one?" Tyler cocked an eyebrow. "Why?"

Ignoring the boy's question, Lindsey leaned in closer to Hermione and softly said, "He's gone now; he left three nights after the cemetery incident. They're planning something for the World Cup."

Hermione groaned and downed the rest of her butterbeer. "I was hoping to just have fun at that. Do you know what they're planning?"

"No," Lindsey shook his head, "But you should be careful."

Nodding her head, Hermione flashed him a small smile, "Thank you."

"The offer is still on the table, little darling."

Still smiling, Hermione shook her head. "And I'm still declining it."

Nodding his head, Lindsey straightened his back then looked around at all the glaring eyes on the table. Smirking, he ran both hands through his hair and Hermione had another flash of Draco in her mind at the sight of it. It made her softly whimper. "I told you that Angel would protect you."

"It's what he does," Hermione chuckled while nodding her head, as she somewhat repeated the lawyer's own words from the night that he approached her.

Faith and Spike both eyed each other suspiciously at the idea of Lindsey McDonald speaking kindly to Hermione; it almost seemed as if they were old friends or something and not enemies. Reid continued to stare at Faith as he tried to figure out if she really did kill a human before, and the others all looked up at the stage. Hermione's jaw was the first to drop when she saw Lindsey sit on a stool in the center of the stage with a guitar in his arms. Faith only smirked at the thought of the pretty boy embarrassing himself, and the others were all curious to see what was going to happen. Hermione noticed Lorne standing in the corner of the room, watching Lindsey closely with a grim look on his face.

_Mmm yeah…_

Hermione began to wonder what the future of a man who works for the devil would look like. Would it be as empty as he's supposed to be? Would it be as confused as he is? Or is it nonexistent? The day after the attack from Lucius, Hermione began to read through some of Angel's books and she did a little research on Wolfram and Hart. Apparently when Lindsey told her that they take the term 'fired' literally, he meant it. When you become a lawyer for that particular firm you have to sign a contract that means your bosses own your soul. When you die or try to leave the job, your actual soul is claimed by them… along with your body. You serve them for eternity, and if they feel like it you're also tortured for eternity. Hermione understood now that Lindsey was actually risking his life by trying to warn her of his own company's clients' plans for her.

_Well living with me, it ain't easy_

_But I do it every day._

_Sometimes – even now –_

_I wanna run away,_

_But there you are;_

_You're trying to please me._

_Yeah you stand your ground,_

_It's more than I deserve_

"Well damn!" Faith didn't remove her eyes from the stage.

"Bloody hell!"

"Hermione!" Tyler gasped.

Not blushing for the words that just escaped her mouth, Hermione had a glazed look in her eyes. "What?" she asked, also not looking away from the stage, "He's good. Plus I love this song. And he's hot. Leave me alone."

Rolling his eyes at the young girl's antics, Reid looked over at Faith and slightly snarled. She had the same look in her eyes that Hermione did. "He's not _that _good," he muttered.

"Shhh," Hermione and Faith both hushed Reid at the same time.

_I've taken more than I've been giving._

_And I've taken for granted, this life I'm living._

_And I don't know why heaven above_

_Blessed me with your sweet love;_

_I know I never tell you what you're worth,_

_That's 'cause it's more than I deserve_

"Look at the bloody ponce," Spike rolled his eyes. "It's like he thinks he's some singing god or something else like that."

"William," Hermione chanced a quick look his way and the venom in her voice matched the fire in her eyes, "Shut up or I'll silence you again."

Ignoring the scoffing sound from all the males at their table, Hermione turned back to the stage and she felt something pinch her insides. Lindsey's eyes met hers and her breath got caught. She couldn't pinpoint exactly when she started listening to American music, but she did. She loved all the different varieties there were to choose from, and she loved it all. This song had been one of her favorite ones from when she first heard it, and now hearing it from the deep, angelic tone of a hot country guy in person – especially one who was risking his own life to save hers – had Hermione's insides bursting into tiny little tickling bubbles.

It felt like a crush that she didn't understand. She knew that it wasn't a crush, because she already had a crush on someone and this felt different, but she liked this giddy feeling that he was giving her; it was like she wanted to bounce in her seat, but she thought better of it – there was no point in giving her new friends more ammo to tease her with. Blue eyes stayed on her as the beautiful singing words flowed evenly out of his mouth, and Hermione felt her heart clench. For a moment she pictured someone else on that stage singing to her – someone with blonde hair and silver eyes; someone whose father just tried to kill her two weeks before.

_It's just your style to wear a smile_

_-Oh baby, you wear it very well-_

_And if I had my way, I'd dress you in nothing else._

_So come over here and lay down a little while_

_Cause you right now;_

_You're more than I deserve_

Tyler elbowed Pogue who elbowed Caleb and the three of them all snickered at the way Reid growled when Lindsey looked away from Hermione to stare at Faith. Reid didn't realize it and neither did Faith, but once Lindsey winked at Faith and the slayer actually blushed with a silly grin, Reid scooted his chair closer to her and placed his arm over her chair as if claiming what didn't belong to him. Reid and Faith didn't realize the brash move he just made, but everyone else at the table did. Even Hermione caught the motion and grinned to herself before trying to shut Draco out of her mind.

_I've taken more than I've been giving._

_And I've taken for granted, this life I'm living._

_And I don't know why heaven above_

_Blessed me with your sweet love;_

_I know I never tell you what you're worth,_

_That's 'cause it's more than I deserve._

_Oh, you're more than I deserve_

Lindsey's eyes met Hermione's once more and she blushed when he grinned at her with a nod of his head. Shyly smiling back at him, Hermione nodded her head as well and she could have sworn that she saw laughter in his eyes as he looked away to face the rest of the attentive crowd once more. Her cheeks were flustered and she jumped in fright when another bottle of butterbeer was placed in front of her.

"He's good, isn't he?" Lorne grinned down at her.

Spike scoffed again with the rest of the males at the table while Faith muttered a quick, "Yeah-huh."

Nodding her head, Hermione took a long sip from the bottle and wanted to curse the demon's ability to read her aura. "Yes, he is."

"He comes in at least once a week just to sing," Lorne confided in her. "I always offer to tell him what I see, but he always shakes it off."

Frowning, Hermione glanced back at Lindsey and rolled the bottle between her hands, "He's scared that you don't see anything…" she stated in a matter of fact voice.

"You really are the brightest-witch-of-your-age," Lorne winked down at her then left again.

_I've taken more than I've been giving._

_And I've taken for granted, this life I'm living._

_And I don't know why heaven above_

_Blessed me with your sweet love;_

_All I know is I never tell you what you're worth,_

_That's 'cause it's more than I deserve;_

_It's more than I deserve._

"I don't get it," Caleb said, "What's so hot about a guy with a guitar?"

_And I don't know why heaven above_

_Blessed me with your sweet love;_

_I know I never tell you what you're worth,_

_It's more than I deserve._

Giving a slight bow as he stepped off the stage, Lindsey's eyes met Hermione's once more and he gave her a shy smile now. It was nothing like the bold wink and seductive grin that he gave to her while he was on stage, and Hermione grinned as she realized what it was. Lindsey McDonald was comfortable while singing. In the real world, he was this snarky lawyer who killed people and represented other people that killed people; he constantly looked over his shoulder to make sure that he wasn't about to be murdered, and he silently plotted against his bosses to help protect a young-targeted-witch. Then he got onto a stage with his guitar and he sang. Nobody was trying to kill him and nobody was giving him orders; he was free and he could be himself. Hermione realized something else. She liked him when he was himself.

Wiggling in her seat, Faith turned back to the table and fanned herself, "Damn!"

"You said that already, love," Spike pointed out.

"I didn't know he could sing like that," choosing to ignore the comment from Spike, Faith took a sip from Reid's bottle once more and winked when he opened his mouth to stop her but then shut it instead; knowing he would lose the argument in the end. "I mean, damn! It's not fair. He's got the looks and the voice. If only he wasn't such an evil bastard."

"He can't be all that evil," Hermione said suddenly, turning to Faith. "I mean, he does keep warning me and offering me protection."

Hermione saw them all open their mouths to reply, but she stood up before they had the chance to. Looking over at the bar, she saw Lindsey watching her curiously. Taking in a deep breath, Hermione told herself to just calm down. She knew she wouldn't be as good as Lindsey was, and the stage wasn't her comfort zone. The library was the one place that she felt she could most be herself, but she wasn't anywhere near a library – she was in a demon bar, walking towards an empty stage. If only Harry and Ron could see her now. Hermione Granger, the prude of Hogwarts, was about to sing in front of a bar full of demons and vampires.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Christian Kane or the song More Than I Deserve, but if I did… I would do very naughty things to him and force him to sing to me every second of the day(: how much of you guys have seen Angel and have seen Lindsey singing in that one episode where he got his hand back? Hot right? As long as nothing goes wrong (knock on wood) I should upload a chapter tomorrow. There's only 3 chapters left after this one(: are you guys excited? I'm excited!**


	10. From The Heart Of A Wanted Witch

From The Heart Of A Wanted Witch

"What is she doing?" Pogue asked the table.

Narrowing his eyes in confusion, Spike looked around, "Did anyone know she was planning on singing tonight?"

"Obviously," Reid laughed. "It _is_ a karaoke bar. Why do you think she wanted to come so badly?"

"I honestly thought she just wanted to ask the demons all sorts of questions about their life styles," Caleb shrugged his shoulders.

Laughing, Faith rolled her eyes. She leaned back and felt something on her chair. Looking back, she saw Reid's arm and looked up at him. He seemed to be too busy staring at Hermione as she stood in front of the microphone. Deciding that she liked the feeling of his arm being where it was, Faith ignored it then looked back up at Hermione. "You got this Doll Face!" she shouted.

Blushing when she heard Faith shout her encouragement from all the way across the room, Hermione smiled shyly at her then looked out at all the watching faces. At least some of them had faces. One of them was just a giant floating eyeball. Looking around, Hermione saw the way Lorne ignored all his surroundings, focusing on just her, and she got nervous. Did she really want to see how her future played out? What if Lindsey had the right idea – what if Lorne saw that there was no future for her? What if Lucius manages to kill her and she abandons Harry and Ron? Knowing that people want to kill her and hearing about her death are two completely different things.

Hermione's eyes met Lindsey's and she gulped in air. He seemed to be giving her a nod of encouragement with his head, mistaking her sudden fear as stage fright. Nodding her head back at him, she held onto the microphone and cleared her throat. Everyone was watching her now, and no one was making a sound. She decided to shut her eyes.

_Take a breath,_

_Take it deep._

_"Calm yourself," he says to me._

_If you play you for keeps._

_Take the gun and count to three._

_I'm sweating now, moving slow;_

_No time to think, my turn to go_

"Bloody hell!" Spike dropped his glass filled with blood and stared up at the girl on stage.

Faith's eyes were larger than a house-elf's and Reid started to choke on his butterbeer. "Holy shit!"

Keeping her eyes shut, Hermione continued to sing the song that she remembered falling in love with on her first day in America. The taxi driver had it playing on the radio, and she felt something pulling her to it; like the song was calling out to her. Oblivious to the dropped jaws around her, Hermione envisioned Draco sitting right in front of her. Removing her hands off the microphone, she moved them towards her chest, trying to prevent Draco from getting to her heart. He already claimed her mind – she wouldn't let him claim her heart as well.

_And you can see my heart;_

_You can see it through my chest._

_Said I'm terrified, but I'm not leaving._

_I know that I must pass this test,_

_So just pull the trigger_

Tyler looked over at Lorne and his heart began to race. It looked as if the demon was crying. The thought scared the hell out of him – what could he see in Hermione's future that had him in tears? Maybe he was just an extremely emotional demon and cried for the slightest of things? Hopefully Hermione was just going to get a paper cut next week and Lorne was saddened by the thought of it. Tearing his eyes away from the slightly weeping demon, Tyler saw the lawyer sitting at the bar. He seemed to be shocked; tightly gripping the glass filled with whiskey so that his knuckles were becoming a powder color. Lindsey wasn't looking at Hermione though – he too was frightened by the sight of the crying demon.

Hermione was having fun. This was the most carefree thing she had ever done in her life – even breaking Sirius free and riding a hippogriff seemed to be nothing in comparison to this. She was having fun. With her eyes shut, she could see Draco twirling a glass of firewhiskey in his hands – because he's a bad boy and most likely drinks firewhiskey just because it's not allowed – and leaning back in his chair while judging her. His eyes raked over her body and he approved of her outfit. His ears were taking in the words that Hermione sang to him, and her heart jumped when he smirked at her.

_Say a prayer to yourself._

_He says, "Close your eyes, sometimes it helps,"_

_And then I get a scary thought:_

_That he's here means he never lost._

This was his game that they were playing. He was the pureblooded prince of Slytherin and everyone craved him. Everywhere he went, Draco had his entourage of people. Of course, Hermione knew that they were only following him around because of who he was, but he wouldn't listen to her when she told him so. Hermione knows the difference though – they crave him, but they don't love him; they follow him around the school, but they wouldn't follow him into a fire. It didn't matter though that they weren't his true friends because he _had_ them. She had no one. Sure, she had Harry and Ron, and sometimes the rest of the Weasleys – it didn't matter that they were truly there for her and would jump in front of the killing curse to protect her, because in the end of it all his group was larger than hers. It made no sense to her, but as she mentioned – _this is his game._

Everything that once made sense to her no longer matter anymore and all common sense was thrown out of the window. They were playing by his rules now; rules that would get one of them hurt in the process of whatever they were doing. Hermione's breath hitched and the audience that she had forgotten about sensed that this song was personal to her now. Draco was still sitting there; that smirk of his was still set into his face. He swallowed the firewhiskey in one sip and he lifted both of his hands behind his head while watching her; he could see the fear in her eyes as the realization hit her – this was his game, his rules, his story. He was sitting right in front of her, smug at whatever he was looking at and it scared the hell out of her. He's played this game before. He played it, and he won.

_And you can see my heart;_

_You can see it through my chest._

_Said I'm terrified, but I'm not leaving._

_I know that I must pass this test,_

_So just pull the trigger_

Her hands were clutching at her chest. She tried to calm her heart down, but it's as if it can sense that it's about to become demolished and it wanted out before it could be put down. Hermione tried to call out to him, plead with him to spare her the pain, but he's laughing instead. He's enjoying this; every part of it – he likes it when she begs him for something. This is only proving that she truly is beneath him, no better than the mud she's named after. Draco continued to sit there in that bloody chair, his hands still behind his head and the smug smirk still set on his stone etched face. She tries to look away, but it's impossible to. His eyes call to her, silver like the steel of the knife that he's about to carve into her with.

_As my life flashes before my eyes,_

_I'm wondering will I ever see another sunrise._

_So many won't get the chance to say goodbye,_

_But it's too late to think of the value of my life_

He's laughing at her now, and she's ashamed of how vulnerable she is at the moment. His father works for the man who killed her best friend's parents when Harry was only a one year old infant. _His _father was the one who attacked her with the Cruciatus Curse, and his father was the one who put out a hit for her. She was only thirteen years old; she shouldn't be this deep into anything – especially not with him, not with Draco Malfoy. He continues to laugh at her, a bone chilling and cruel laugh, as if he can read her mind. There are tears in her eyes now, and she shuts her eyes even tighter; refusing to allow him to see what he does to her.

She remembers all the harsh names he's called her and all the cruel jokes that he made at her expense. She remembers the spell that he cast at her and caused her teeth to grow abnormally large, causing her to be rushed to Madam Pomfrey. His laugh grows louder as she thinks back to the way he made fun of her and her friends – her friends, oh Merlin. What would they say if they knew? She hasn't had a chance to warn them about anything that has been happening. He pulled her away from them for so long; isolating her until she became as alone as him. She's been trapped by him for so long that she hadn't been out in what seemed like years to her. She lost everyone she loved because of him.

Harry and Ron were no longer her best friends. Ginny no longer trusted her with their little girl talks. Even Lavender and Parvati _stopped_ their gossiping when she entered their dorm. Neville stopped asking for her help in potions, Seamus no longer gave her a friendly smile, and the twins stopped trying to make her laugh. And he laughed at all of this; he was winning. She lost everyone and no one was there for her to say goodbye too. She wanted to leave and walk away, but she was in too deep. They've been playing for years now, and it was too late to turn her back on it. He won and he knew it; he had her trapped in his twisted game and she couldn't leave him. Not now! Not after so long of playing it!

Seeing visions of things that haven't happened, Hermione's eyes flew open.

_And you can see my heart;_

_You can see it through my chest._

_Said I'm terrified, but I'm not leaving._

_Know that I must pass this test_

Instead of the silver of a dagger's blade, Hermione found herself peering into the baby blue eyes of the man who was betraying his bosses to keep her alive. He held the glass of amber liquid in his hands the same way Draco was just holding his own glass. He sat in the same smug way that Draco had just been sitting in, in that very same chair. He watched her as closely as Draco had been observing her. They played a similar game, but were very different players. Draco had been cruelly laughing at her while Lindsey looked saddened by the tears he saw in her eyes. He looked pained about something – as if silently begging her to stop singing her song. But she couldn't finish it… not before it was meant to end.

Draco likes to play games. To him, this is all a game. Lindsey has the comfort of his guitar and his stage to keep him sane, and Draco sets the rules of his own made up games. But Hermione is Hermione; she seeks comfort in books and school. She's playing Draco's game, and she follows all the rules because that's what she does. But Draco doesn't understand her the way that she understands him. To Draco this is a game, but to Hermione this is a test. She wouldn't walk out of a real test and she won't walk out of this one. Draco has never lost a game before, but Hermione has never failed a test.

_And you can see my heart;_

_You can see it through my chest._

_Said I'm terrified, but I'm not leaving._

_I know that I must pass this test,_

_So just pull the trigger._

She stopped singing and everyone was standing and clapping for her; her friends were all cheering rather loudly and calling her name out in a celebratory tone, but her eyes remained on Lindsey's. She walked off the stage and she continued to watch Lindsey while he continued to watch her. Lorne caught her arm and she turned to face him, seeing the telltale signs of tears on his face.

"Do you want to know, Hermione?"

He called her by her actual name and a choke got caught in her throat. She's never heard of him calling anyone by their own actual name before. She was always told that he had his own made up nicknames for everyone. So why was he calling her by her given name? Her friends all gathered around her, but she ignored their hugs and words of surprised excitement. She turned around until she saw _him_ again. He was still watching her and she felt her nerves attack her again. Once again, she began to wonder if he had the right idea all along. Did Lindsey know the dangers of seeing into your own future? Did they share the same fears of a future that didn't exist for either of them?

She thought back to the song she just sang, and Hermione nodded her head across at him. He returned the gesture then stood up and walked out. They were both in the same situation. They had a connection that was similar in the way that water was equal to a computer, but they were in the same situation. He had his comfort, but it resulted in possibly hearing of his own demise. She had her own comfort as well, but it resulted in giving into Draco's comfort. Draco's comfort meant her own demise. In the end someone would have to give up a comfort.

Draco loved to write his own rules and play his own games. He had never lost before. Hermione loved to study and take tests. She had never failed before. What happens when you force the two of them into the same situation and neither can leave until one loses? Will he finally lose the game or will she fail her first test? What happens when you raise the stakes? Losing the game will result in Draco's death and failing the test will result in Hermione's death? Can the two of them find some way to come together and defy the laws of logic or will they do the only thing they know how to do best – make more rules and study harder?

**Disclaimer: **_**Russian Roulette **_**is sung by **_**Rihanna**_**,**__**and obviously I don't own either of them. I know that I said I would upload it tomorrow, but I'm really really eager to start posting up the sequel already; I want to see your guys' reactions to it. And I just really love all of you(: the next chapter will be posted up tomorrow – possibly both of them depending on how many reviews I get on this one. I'm really worried about **_**this**_** chapter because it confused me while I was writing it, but it's what helps the sequel to somewhat fall into place. Only two chapters left to go(:**


	11. Saying Goodbye

**As promised, here is the next chapter! Happy Valentine's Day everyone! What are you guys doing on this chocolate filled holiday? Me? I'm getting all dolled up with my **_**Shane Dawson is my Boyfriend **_**t-shirt with a skirt and some makeup. I'm straightening my hair then putting on my blue and purple polka-dotted fuzzy socks and curling up in bed with the Jacob Black blanket my brother brought for me and watching a Harry Potter marathon by my lonesome(: -this has been my routine for the last two years and sadly enough I look forward to it(:**

Saying Goodbye

Hermione was tired, but she couldn't sleep on the plane. The sky was too bumpy for her to get comfortable. She still had tears in her eyes from when she said goodbye to each one of her new friends. She spent the entire night before with all of them, and Faith dropped her off at the airport in the morning. The past week seemed like a blur to her and she wished she didn't have to leave so soon. She didn't want to say goodbye to the people that she had come to love like Harry and Ron. They had known each other for only five weeks, but they had done things together that made them feel as if they had been friends for all their lives. She had a separate bond with each one in their own way, but she would miss Spike, Faith, and Reid the most. Pressing her fingers to her lips, Hermione smiled as she thought of Reid.

_"I'm sorry that you have to go back to my brat of a brother," Reid and Hermione were on their own two nights after the karaoke bar as they searched their section of the cemetery for vampires. _

_ Shaking away the image of Draco that returned to her mind, Hermione shrugged her shoulders, "He doesn't get to me anymore."_

_ "You don't need to lie to me," Reid chuckled. "I can see it in your eyes, Sweetheart, even when you sang the other night, it was him that you were singing for."_

_ "To," Hermione said quietly as she remembered the vision in her mind as she sang, "It was him I sang to."_

_ "Exactly," Reid grinned, gently nudging her with his arm. Laughing when Hermione blushed, Reid shook his head. "It isn't his fault he's like that; it's how Lucius raised him. I hate to think how I would be if I stayed."_

_ "I can't imagine you calling me a Mudblood," Hermione frowned at the idea of Reid being her enemy instead of her friend, "Nor can I picture you wearing green and silver."_

_ Laughing again, Reid nodded his head, "I can't see that either. Maybe I would have been like my cousin," he said with a hopeful grin. Hermione had already gotten used to the idea that Sirius is Reid's second cousin, "Maybe I would have been sorted into Gryffindor or Hufflepuff and my baby brother would be sorted into Slytherin then he would be praised and I would become the white sheep in the Black family."_

_ "I think so," Hermione smiled. "And everyone who hates Draco would love you."_

_ "I would be quite the popular boy then," Reid winked, "And Draco would be extremely jealous of his cooler older brother."_

_ "Ah," Hermione giggled, "Now I see where Draco gets his bigheaded cockiness from."_

_ "I am not bigheaded," Reid scowled. "I'm just extremely cool. And handsome."_

_ Laughing, Hermione pointed her wand at a new vampire that was crawling out of the ground and she set it on fire. "Yes, extremely cocky."_

_ "Whatever," Reid rolled his eyes. "So are you going to tell Ron and Harry?"_

_ "That I like Draco?" Hermione asked then flew her hands to her mouth and flushed a crimson color._

_ Rolling his eyes and trying to hold in the laughter that wanted to erupt, Reid nudged Hermione again. "No, about me and the rest of the Sons, about Spike and Angel them – even the lawyer and all the cryptic warnings? Are you going to warn them that the World Cup will be under attack?"_

_ "No," Hermione shook her head, still blushing at her slip up but glad that Reid chose to ignore it, "It would only worry them. I told them that I made friends here and that I would explain it all to them, but I decided that the less they know the better off they are. I'll tell Snuffles and Remus the whole story, but not Ron and Harry."_

_ "And my brother?" Reid asked her, "He's bound to have heard about his dear old father's attack on you. He'll most likely mock you for it."_

_ Hermione nodded her head. She thought about that many times before, and it worried her and sickened her to the point that she cried herself to sleep many times, but she couldn't let it bother her. If he knew how much it got to her, he would use it like a weapon against her. "I can't let him win," she said quietly._

_ "Draco…" Reid stopped walking and Hermione didn't realize it until she was already a couple of steps ahead of him. When she turned around to look at him, Reid took in a deep breath. "Draco is vulnerable, Sweetheart," he told her. There was pain on his face and it warmed Hermione up to see that he still cared for his little brother, "He was raised to believe in the wrong things and he doesn't know any other way. He needs someone to teach him."_

_ Nodding her head to show that she understood, Hermione began to rub her arms as a gust of wind attacked her. For some reason she left her jumper back at the hotel, and she didn't want to use a spell to keep her warm because it didn't feel like an emergency. Reid noticed the way Hermione shivered and chuckled softly to himself. Walking over to her, he was already slipping his arms out of his jacket. Blushing, Hermione thanked him as he wrapped it around her, and snuggled in it. She had never worn a boy's jacket before. When she was younger, her dad would sometimes wrap her up in his own jacket if she fell asleep in the car or if they were out and she got really cold, but this was different – this was a boy who wasn't related to her. Even Ron and Harry had never given her their jackets when she was cold. This was a nice feeling. Keeping her hands in the pockets, Hermione looked down and laughed to herself. Reid was taller than her by nearly a foot, and his jacket fell to her knees. When she zipped it up it looked like a giant black dress on her, and it amused her._

_ Reid watched Hermione as she laughed at something that he didn't understand, and he smiled at the sight of it; she was wanted for dead, and she's being emotionally tortured, but she still had the time to laugh at the slightest things and smile at people who should have been given up on already. It warmed him up to see a young girl who was already being affected by a long coming war but still managed to stop and smell the flowers. Keeping a few feet behind Hermione, Reid watched as she walked with a bounce in her step, and he knew it… she would be the one to save his brother. She was the only one who would be able to save him. She saw the good in people, and Draco was still impressionable. He had time to change as long as someone took the time to help him. Hermione was the sensible choice – she saw the good in people and she already loved him even if she wouldn't admit it out loud. Smiling at the thought of his brother getting a second chance, Reid stopped walking again._

_ Hermione didn't hear his footsteps anymore, and turned around. "Now what's wrong?" she asked him._

_ Shaking his head, Reid smiled. "Nothing," he told her, "Nothing's wrong, Sweetheart."_

_ "Then why'd you stop walking?"_

_ "I just thought of something," he said, and the smile still widened on his face. "So Miss Hermione Granger-"_

_ Raising a suspicious eyebrow, Hermione watched as Reid slowly made his way over to her, "Yes?"_

_ "Is there a certain little Mr. Hermione Granger waiting for you back home?"_

_ Hermione began to choke on air and Reid had to slap her back until she could breathe properly again. "What?"_

_ "You know," Reid wiggled both his eyebrows, "A boyfriend? Ron perhaps?"_

_ "Eww," Hermione shuddered, "Please do not think that ever again. Ron is like a brother to me. And before you ask; yes, Harry is a brother to me as well. Where did that even come from?"_

_ "Well you _are _about to be fourteen," Reid reminded her, "And most girls your age have boyfriends at this point."_

_ "Not me," Hermione shook her head. For a second, Reid thought he saw remorse flash in her eyes, but it was gone before he could even blink. "The boys at Hogwarts don't look at me like that."_

_ Tilting his head, Reid wondered just exactly what the young witch went through. It was obvious that she was smarter than anyone else her age, and that she was advanced. He knew that his brother and the other Slytherins picked on her, but other than her adventures with her friends, Hermione didn't really talk about herself. And now that he thought about it – Harry and Ron were really the only friends that she talked about. Once in a while she would mention a boy named Neville, but he rarely heard any other names. Reid didn't understand it. Hermione was a beautiful young girl. She was smart and she was brave. Why wouldn't the boys be all over her? "Well it's their lost," he told her. "Any boy would be lucky to have you, Sweetheart."_

_ Laughing, Hermione shrugged her shoulders. "I don't mind it, really. I don't have time to be the doting girlfriend anyway. I mean, with all the trouble I get into with Ron and Harry, I would never have the time to have an actual boyfriend."_

_ "Of course you would," Reid frowned. "That's the fun part of being a teen. Making the time to sneak away and have a boyfriend or girlfriend."_

_ "Oh no," Hermione shook her head; her cheeks a rose color, "I would never be able to sneak around. I'm always with Harry and Ron."_

_ "And when you guys get into another argument?" Reid questioned in slight annoyance as he remembered hearing about Hermione's best friends constantly abandoning her. "Didn't you guys ignore each other for a couple of months when you told McGonagall about Harry's broom and she took it away for inspections? What do you do then?"_

_ Biting her bottom lip while frowning, Hermione shifted in her place and stared at the ground. "I hung out in the library," she remembered. Her home… the library had been her only sanctuary. _

_ "And if it happens again this year?" Reid asked her. "Wouldn't you rather have a boyfriend that you could run to for comfort; someone that you could spend time with and tell all your worries to?"_

_ Looking back up at him, Hermione sighed. "It wouldn't matter even if I did," she told him. "Like I said, Reid… the boys at Hogwarts don't see me in that way. I'm just the bushy haired bookworm who hangs out with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. And I'm okay with that, because that's who I am."_

_ "No," Reid shook his head, walking over to her so that he could place both his hands on her shoulders, "That's not who you are. You are a bright young girl who puts her friends' lives before her own. You're the brave witch who stood back up after suffering the Cruciatus Curse, and fought against a Death Eater on your own. You're the kind human who saw the good in an evil lawyer and gave him hope. You're not just some bushy haired bookworm, Sweetheart, you are Hermione Granger – the most kindest and bravest thirteen year old that I have ever met."_

_ Meeting Reid's eyes, Hermione whispered, "And I'm the one who's going to save your brother."_

_ Reid didn't know what caused him to do it, but he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. Hermione stiffened against him and he chuckled against her lips. This was her first kiss and it was in a cemetery with a guy that she had only known for about a month, and her lips were sticky from the watermelon lip gloss she wore. Keeping his hands on her shoulders, Reid felt Hermione's hands go up to his shoulders as her body relaxed against him. Licking her lips with his tongue, he felt her mouth slightly open up and he slipped his tongue inside. Hermione was confused; she didn't know what to do, but Reid didn't seem to mind. He was gentle with her, tracing the roof of her mouth with the tip of his tongue before bringing it down and connecting it with hers. Soon enough, Hermione found a rhythm that she was comfortable with and she was kissing him back._

_ Pulling away, Reid and Hermione looked at each other. Reid smiled down at her, and Hermione began to laugh. "I don't know," she told him in a smug tone, "I think I'm doing pretty well on my own. I mean my first kiss was with a hot American bloke in a cemetery. How many thirteen year old British girls can say that?"_

_ Laughing, Reid shook his head and ran both hands through his hair, "So much for the bookworm theory. How about you call me up once you're seventeen?"_

_ "I'm sorry Reid," Hermione playfully teased him; "I'm saving my heart for someone else. I mean, you're a cool bloke and all, but I'm afraid we're better off as just friends."_

_ "Damn Sweetheart," Reid shook his head; feigning hurt and throwing his hands over his heart in a teasing way, "You sure know how to hurt a guy don't you?"_

Laughing at the memory of her first kiss, Hermione rested her head against the plane's window and saw her parents' reflections: they were both sleeping with their heads on each other, and she smiled at the innocence of their love. Moving her hands up to her throat, Hermione fingered the silver cross that she was now wearing. She thought back to the other night and smiled again.

_"Hermione," Angel stepped into the office and looked at the girl who was now getting into a punching contest with Caleb, "Can I see you for a minute?"_

_ "Sure, Angel," making sure to punch Caleb one last time in the shoulder, Hermione grinned as she heard him release a cry of pain then followed Angel downstairs to his bedroom. "What is it?"_

_ Reaching into his pocket, Angel pulled out a crimson colored velvet box. "I brought this for you," he told her; shyly handing it over to her. "It isn't much, but I figured that where you're going and what you're going to face, you should have one."_

_ Curiously opening the box, Hermione smiled up at him. "Angel, it's beautiful. Thank you," taking the item out of the box, Hermione was holding a cross pendent. The cross was the size of her middle finger and had a crimson and gold colored lion in the center of it._

_ "I figured it would make it personal," keeping his hands in his pockets, Angel kicked at the floor, possibly blushing at what he was doing, "If you had Gryffindor colors on it with a little lion. The chain is sterling silver and the cross was blessed by an actual blind Monk in Tibet and soaked in Holy water for three nights."_

_ Making sure to put the necklace back inside the box, Hermione jumped onto Angel and engulfed him in a hug. "I love it, Angel."_

Grinning as she remembered how it was Tyler who put the necklace on her seeing as how Angel couldn't do it himself, Hermione remembered how Cordelia baked her a cake on her last night there and how they all stayed up all night; just laughing and talking and crying. Smoothing down the leather shorts that Faith gave to her as a momentum of when she lived a dangerous life, Hermione continued staring out the window and she smiled at the memory of their little going away party being crashed.

_Faith was using Reid as a dummy to show Hermione all the pressure points that could knock out or even possibly kill someone in case she was ever attacked and didn't have her wand on her, Angel was arguing with Cordelia about something that happened in Sunnydale, and Spike was entertaining the remaining Sons with tales of when he was a ruthless killer. Spike had just started to explain about the time that he killed the New York slayer and claimed his new leather coat, when the door opened up. Everyone stopped what they were doing and Angel released a snarl while Spike rolled his eyes. Smiling and slightly waving, Hermione left Faith alone with Reid – who was complaining about being used like a doll – and approached the newcomer._

_ "Let's go outside," Hermione suggested, leading the crasher back to where he just came from. Turning around, she kept her hands in her pockets. "Hullo Lindsey."_

_ "Hey little darling," Lindsey grinned. "I hear you're leaving tomorrow."_

_ Nodding her head, Hermione shifted uncomfortably. She didn't want to know how he knew things about her. "Yes, in the morning."_

_ "And I assume that you're going to the World Cup?"_

_ Hermione nodded her head again, "My friend's dad got us all tickets from his job. We have box seats."_

_ Lindsey stiffened when he heard that. "Box seats?" when Hermione nodded her head, he shook his, "You shouldn't go. Lucius Malfoy will be sitting in the box too."_

_ Hermione tensed up. "You mean I'm going to be sitting with Lucius and Draco Malfoy?"_

_ "And Narcissa," seeing her confusion, Lindsey chuckled a little. "Mrs. Malfoy, she's-"_

_ "Lucius's wife," Hermione nodded her head, remembering what Reid told her. Narcissa Malfoy was also Reid's mum. "I've heard of her before."_

_ "I heard that they were planning on having the Death Eaters return this year," Lindsey warned her. "There's something that's going on at Hogwarts this year, and somehow the Death Eaters are going to be involved. I don't know what it is, but I overheard some of my bosses talking about it. They seem impressed at what's going to happen."_

_ "I thought the Death Eaters disappeared?"_

_ "They hid in plain sight," Lindsey shook his head. "You remember when I told you that the kids of Death Eaters went to your school?" Hermione nodded her head. "Well I wasn't exaggerating. Not all Slytherins are bad, little darling, but most of them are just as evil as their mask wearing parents. People are going to get hurt at this Cup and they'll be aiming for you. If your friend's dad got tickets from his job I'm assuming he works at the Ministry."_

_ "In Muggle Relations or something like that," Hermione verified._

_ "Which means that Lucius knows he got the tickets and he knows you'll be there," Lindsey warned her. "Remember what I told you, Hermione; they need you dead before they get to Harry Potter. They won't be aiming for him until you're out of the way."_

_ Taking in a deep breath, Hermione clenched her fists inside of her pockets and nodded her head. "They'll be looking to hurt me at the World Cup. Whatever they have planned involves me getting hurt."_

_ "Precisely – I know that I can't stop you from avoiding danger, but the most I can do is warn you. Once you leave though, I can't keep in touch with you."_

_ Smiling, Hermione looked up at the conflicted lawyer. She could tell that he wanted to continue warning her in his cryptic ways; the frustration in his face told her so. "Don't worry about it," she told him. "I researched your law firm-"_

_ "Of course you did," Lindsey smirked._

_ Rolling her eyes, Hermione continued, "And I understand how dangerous it is that you've been warning me this far. I appreciate it, Lindsey. You didn't have to, and you're risking your life by doing so… so thank you."_

_ "The world needs more Hermione Grangers."_

_ "No," she shook her head, "The world needs more Lindsey McDonalds."_

_ Lindsey froze in his spot and he stared at her as if he had never seen anything like her before. Clearing his throat, he blushed and scratched his head, "Thank you."_

_ "Do you want to come inside?" she offered him,_

_ Shaking his head, Lindsey glanced at the door. "Angel and I don't really get along; it's the whole him killing my clients and me trying to kill him thing. I just came to give you a heads up and to tell you goodbye."_

_ "Well then," Hermione smiled. "Goodbye Lindsey."_

_ "Goodbye little darling."_

Hermione could feel the tears in her eyes, and she tried wiping them away before it got worse. Angel and Spike warned her against Lindsey, but she brushed it off. She saw the good in him. He didn't have to warn her. Faith seemed to share the same opinion as her – claiming that she of all people knew what it was like to be misunderstood and stuck between pure and evil. Reid didn't trust Lindsey, but hearing of his brother's predicament he trusted Hermione. Cordelia just thought it was still unfair that she didn't get to hear the lawyer sing before. The other three were just trying to figure out a way to make it to the World Cup so that they could keep an eye on Hermione.

_"Scarlet."_

_ Turning away from the full moon that she was staring at, Hermione shook away her pained thoughts of the suffering that her favorite professor was going through right now and she found herself staring at a frowning Spike. "Yes, William?"_

_ Chuckling, the vampire scratched the back of his neck, "I'm going to miss that, you know."_

_ "What?"_

_ "Being called William," leaning against the railing next to Hermione, Spike stared up at the moon. "Having you here reminded me a little bit of the old me."_

_ "You mean the poem loving ponce that you hate to talk about?" Hermione teased._

_ Chuckling, Spike nodded his head. "Exactly," he licked his lips. "You know… the proper little Englishman who people loved to mock all the time. I had a love for the books, you know; I loved to speak properly, and I didn't believe in swearing. I followed all the rules and put everyone before myself. Sound familiar?"_

_ "I think so," Hermione nodded her head; a small smile playing with her lips. "It sounds like this bossy know-it-all that attends Hogwarts."_

_ "William had no friends," Spike continued, staring up at the moon with a wishful look on his face. "He only had the love his mum – crazy bitch she turned out to be. Then he met a beautiful woman who saw something in him that no one else did. She looked past the good in him and saw a dangerous beast that was waiting to be released. She bit him, and William no longer existed. He became known as Spike instead and then the real monster was born. It's like you in a way."_

_ "I'm a monster?"_

_ "Of course not. I only mean that whereas Drusilla saw the bad in me, you saw the good in the pretty boy lawyer. I changed for the worst. It took me a century before I became the good guy again. It was like… for a century I was lost and trying to find my way back home. Then I met myself again. I'm still the bad guy, but this time I'm using it to be good."_

_ Hermione broke down Spike's speech into pieces and analyzed it to the best of her abilities, but she shook her head. "I'm confused," she frowned._

_ "You're the good guy; the one who doesn't have a lot of friends and who got picked on a lot. This is the only difference between us, Scarlet: when you were given powers, you used them for good, and I used my powers to hurt people. Drusilla saw something in me that no one else did and she helped me to become a monster. You see the good in people and help them to become the good guys. You have faith in people that should be killed before they can kill an innocent. You believe in the people that have no hope for a better tomorrow. You're a good person, Scarlet; don't lose it like I did. It took a century for me to find the old me, but you're finding a way to blend in the old you and the new you; use that to your advantage. Once you find a way to do that, no one can hurt you."_

_ Analyzing Spike's every word again, Hermione found a lot of contradictions, but when she dug deeper she realized what he meant. He didn't want her to lose her innocence; he wanted her to continue fighting the good fight. "You want me to save Draco."_

_ "You're the only one who can."_

_ "I'm sure I can have Faith call you William," Hermione teased, not liking the heaviness of this talk, and returning it back to the very start of this conversation._

_ "Oh god, no," Spike shook his head. "I like it when _you_ call me William because it annoys me. William is a ponce that I want to forget, but you brought him back to life. Plus it sounds lovely in your home accent. I miss that – the accent."_

_ Laughing, Hermione said, "I'll send you a howler every once in a while then."_

_ "What's that?"_

_ "You'll find out," she winked._

_ "I'm going to miss you Scarlet," Spike sighed. _

_ Hermione looked at him and sighed as well, "I'm going to miss you too. Thank you for looking out for me while I was here, and for teaching me how to punch someone the right way. I'm sorry that I have to leave."_

_ "I understand," Spike nodded his head._

_ "You should call her."_

_ Frowning, Spike looked at Hermione with a dark confusion in his eyes, "Who?"_

_ "Buffy," Hermione smirked. "I'm not daft, William. Buffy is your Draco. Or well, you're Draco and Buffy is Hermione – you know what I mean," Hermione rolled her eyes when Spike continued to look confused. "She has a destiny, William, one that doesn't involve you. Just like how I have a destiny that doesn't involve Draco. Buffy is supposed to kill you, and in the end Draco's most likely going to kill me. There are always loopholes though. And if you can find that loophole, you can always outrun your destiny. So call her. Call Buffy."_

Shutting her eyes, Hermione listened to the rumbling of the plane while the vibrations ran through her body. She owled Sirius and Remus and told them that she would meet them at Grimmauld Place because she had a lot of things that she had to tell them. She would keep her promise to Spike and Angel and tell the two adults everything – as long as they promised they wouldn't speak a word of it to anyone else. Hermione even promised that she would have Sirius keep in touch with Reid so they would know they weren't alone, and that they had blood family who loved them. Her thoughts drifted back to Faith as she drove her to the airport, and Hermione felt her mind slowly starting to blank.

_"You have the dagger, right?"_

_ Pulling the thirteen inch dagger out of the purse, Hermione nodded her head, "Yes."_

_ "Good!" turning the radio off, Faith said, "Make sure you carry it everywhere with you. Think of it as your second wand. If you get grabbed, they'll only take away your wand; they won't be expecting you to have that baby. Have you named her?"_

_ Grinning, Hermione traced the curve of the handle and nodded her head, "Destiny."_

_ "Nice," Faith grinned approvingly, "Loving the irony of it, Doll Face. Now you're going straight to Remus and Snuffles once you land right?"_

_ "I'm going home first," Hermione shook her head, "With my parents. Then once I'm sure that they're safe at home, I'm going to meet them."_

_ "And you're telling them everything?"_

_ "Yes."_

_ "Good," Faith sighed. "At least we'll know you have someone in your world who knows the truth. You're still not going to tell Harry or Ron?"_

_ "No. Faith…"_

_ "I'm on it Doll Face," Faith winked. "I'll keep an eye on him for you."_

_ Smiling at how Faith seemed to always know what she was thinking, Hermione looked out her window, "Thanks," at least Lindsey would have someone looking out for him too._

_ "Can you use your phone at Hogwarts?" asked Faith._

_ "No, but I'll owl you guys. I promise. It takes about a day for the owl get from London to LA though, but we can still owl each other. I already promised Reid and William that I would buy them their own owl so we can keep in touch. Do you want one too?"_

_ "Ooh," Faith wiggled in her seat excitedly, "Really? I get to have my own owl? And it delivers letters?"_

_ Laughing, Hermione nodded her head. "Yes, I'll get you one too. I can use my phone in the wizarding world, so I'll still be able to text and call you guys while I'm at the Weasleys, but once I reach Hogwarts my phone is worthless."_

_ "Text us once you reach the World Cup then," Faith's voice was stern and filled with such an authority that Hermione didn't dare groan at the way she was being treated like a child. "And call us once you leave. Well, actually… text me throughout the entire thing."_

_ "Reid, William, Caleb, and Angel gave me the same order too."_

_ "Good."_

_ "So what's going on with you and Reid?"_

_ The car swerved a little into the oncoming lane and some car honked their horn at them when Faith began to choke. "W-What?"_

_ "Reid?" Hermione grinned. "I see the way you two look at each other."_

_ "I'll date Reid the day that you convince Draco Malfoy that it's alright to love you back."_

_ Smirking, Hermione shrugged her shoulders. "I thought Faith didn't date. And I thought Reid was the same… I just wanted to know if you two finally shagged yet."_

_ "Hermione!" Faith gasped then groaned. "Oh no, we broke you! We corrupted you."_

_ Laughing, Hermione smoothed down the leather shorts she was wearing. "Well he is a great kisser."_

_ "What? How would you know?"_

_ The rest of the drive to the airport was filled with Hermione telling Faith about her first kiss. To her amazement, her friend wasn't jealous at all but thought it was sweet that Reid did something like that for Hermione, and she wanted every tiny detail about what his tongue felt like. Feeling like she was a normal teenaged girl who was having a normal gossiping conversation with a girlfriend, Hermione was reminded of Parvati and Lavender and it only made her laugh even more. Faith then began to tell her about her own first kiss when she was also thirteen and soon enough the car was filled with howling laughter, and when it came time to say goodbye, both girls were in tears._

_ "Now you text me once you land," Faith told her._

_ "I will," Hermione promised. "Please stop being such a hag to Reid."_

_ "Will you stop arguing with Draco?"_

_ "Touché."_

_ Pulling the younger girl into a tight embrace, Faith kissed her forehead, "Be careful out there Doll Face, it's a cruel world."_

_ "Says the girl who spends all her nights in a cemetery," Hermione rolled her eyes, but appreciated the worry. "Tell everyone I said goodbye, will you?"_

_ Nodding her head, Faith wiped away her tears, "Damn… look at you Doll Face, you got me crying and whatnot."_

_ Laughing, Hermione wiped her own tears away as well, "I won't tell anyone if you don't."_

_ "Deal."_

_ "Be careful, Faith," Hermione told her. "And thanks for Destiny and the shorts. Harry and Ron are going to freak out when they see them."_

_ Hugging the girl once more, Faith released her again, "Five by five, Doll Face, five by five."_

**Woohoo! Only one more chapter left! It's like 7 in the morning over here right now and you know my plans for the day, but at 3 I have to take my niece to her therapist then we're having a huge family dinner thing. But once I return home I'll upload the final chapter. So tonight I'll have the last chapter of this story and the first chapter of the sequel up! (:**


	12. The Start Of His Warnings

**A/N: Okay so I'm sorry. After our family dinner last night, my cousins and I decided to have a little 'I hate Valentine's Day – let's get drunk' thing at their house and after inviting only single friends over, we drank until 6 this morning. It is now 830 – my mom picked me up and brought me home, I took a shower, I'm still drunk, and I am now uploading the final chapter to this and the first chapter for the sequel for you guys before I crash! But first I want to say some things…**

_**Cedezbenz, Dark Neko 4000, Angel JJK, Booklover9477, Cooky Crumbla, **_**and **_**BigTimeGleekBTR –thank you guys for sticking with this story from the very beginning and letting me know what you guys thought throughout every chapter. I recognize some of you guys from some of my other stories, and you have no idea how much I enjoy having you guys as my readers!(: **_

_**To everyone else who reviewed, favorited and alerted this story; I love you guys and if I could I would give you all fuzzy socks and chocolates(:**_

**There was more that I wanted to say, but... so yeah… here it is(:**

The Start Of His Warnings

Hermione had only just fallen asleep in her own bed when Mr. Weasley came running into their tent, waking both her and Ginny up. Hearing him say something about them being under attack, Hermione reached beneath her pillow and grabbed the dagger that Faith had given to her; throwing it into her pajama pants pocket, she grabbed her wand and her coat then followed Mr. Weasley and Ginny out of the tent. She saw Bill, Charlie, and Percy running out of the boys' tent, fully dressed and with their wands out.

"We're going to help the Ministry!" Mr. Weasley shouted at them, "You lot – get into the woods and stick together. I'll come and fetch you when we've sorted this out!"

"C'mon," Fred ended up grabbing Ginny's hand, and Hermione was relieved; at least the youngest would be protected. Hermione was between Harry and Ron while George followed them closely behind.

Hermione cringed at the sight surrounding them as they moved closer towards the woods. The poor muggle family that she recognized to be Mr. Roberts, his wife, and their children were floating high up in the air while a large group of Death Eaters paraded them around as if they were nothing. The witches and wizards that ran over to help them out, looked stuck – they feared that if they were to perform any spell then the family would fall to their deaths.

Hermione was blindly following the bodies next to her while her mind was stuck on her friends back home. Reid texted her earlier that morning, saying that he and the rest of the Sons safely made it back home and that he was owling Sirius every day. She began to wonder if they were alright, and what Faith would do in this situation. Her thoughts flew to Lindsey and she silently thanked him, but even with his warning she wasn't able to prevent anything from happening. He told her that the Death Eaters were going to do something today, but she couldn't do anything to stop them. Hermione knew that the Roberts family was most likely going to die, and she couldn't do anything to save them.

Hermione was just about to start her own little pity party, but then she heard Ron yell out in pain. "What happened?" she asked him anxiously, stopping so suddenly that Harry walked right into her. "Ron," she called out, "Where are you?" getting frustrated with not being able to see anything, she pulled out her wand, "Oh this is stupid –_lumos_!"

The light from Hermione's wand was directed on the path they were walking in, and her red-headed best friend was now lying sprawled on the ground. "Tripped over a tree root," he growled, climbing back up to his feet.

"Well, with feet that size, hard not to," drawled a familiar voice from behind them. It gave Hermione chills throughout her body.

Hermione was the first to face him, while Harry and Ron also turned around sharply. Leaning against a tree, standing alone and looking as superior as he ever did, was Draco Malfoy. This was the second time of the night that Hermione saw him, and just like they did in the box his steel colored eyes were raking her body. Blonde strands of hair fell over his face, and Hermione smiled as she thought back to Reid and the way he was always fussing about his hair. Draco caught her tiny grin and gave her a funny look, wondering why she was smiling when she was about to die, most likely. With his arms folded over his chest, he looked behind them and at the scene that the Death Eaters were causing with the upmost… glee?

Hermione gasped as Ron said something very similar to what Spike said to a demon that tried to bite him one night, and Draco made a clicking sound with his tongue. "Language, Weasley," his eyes were suddenly back on Hermione once more. "Hadn't you better be hurrying along, now? You wouldn't like _her _spotted, would you?" once he nodded his head at Hermione, a loud bomb sounding crash sounded from the campsite, along with a flash of green light.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hermione knew that he meant the Death Eaters were searching for her right now, but she was confused. Why was he warning her? That was a warning right? – Yes… of course it was; there was no mockery in his voice as he said it. He was actually warning them that the Death Eaters wanted her.

"Granger," Draco kept his glistening eyes on her, "They're after _muggles,_" Hermione's heart skipped. He hadn't called her a Mudblood. Granted there was a sneer in his voice, but he hadn't insulted her. "Do you want to be showing off your knickers in midair? Because if you do, hang around… they're moving this way and it would give us all a laugh."

Hermione turned around and saw that Mrs. Roberts was hanging upside down with her nightgown falling and her knickers showing. She blushed at the idea of Malfoy talking about her knickers, but Harry didn't seem to notice anything. "Hermione's a witch," he defended her.

"Have it your own way, Potter," Draco said, grinning maliciously. "If you think they can't spot a Mudblood, stay where you are."

Hermione's heart fell again. He went back to insulting her, but she was still confused; he sounded annoyed at the fact that Harry and Ron weren't leaving with her. "You watch your mouth!" shouted Ron, coming to her defense.

"Never mind, Ron," Hermione sighed, quickly stepping between the boys before a fight could break out. Now that she knew the truth about Draco, she didn't want to see her best friends hurting him.

There was a loud bang from the other side of the trees and several people nearby screamed loudly. Draco chuckled softly, "Scare easily, don't they?" he said lazily. "I suppose your daddy told you all to hide? What's he up to – trying to rescue the muggles?"

There was that word again. Hermione gave Draco a weird look and it seemed almost as if Draco blushed when he saw it. "Where's _your _parents?" Harry asked, and Hermione could see his temper rising."Out wearing the masks are they?"

When Draco turned a smiling face onto Harry, Hermione gasped. She wasn't looking at Draco Malfoy; she was staring at Reid, her friend Reid – the boy who would never allow her to become hurt. "Well… if they were, I wouldn't be likely to tell you, would I?"

Hermione was filled with disgust as his dark silver eyes shifted to her once more. She thought back to when they were all sitting in the box and Lucius gave her a dirty sneer. She had a feeling that he would have brought up the night in the cemetery, but Charlie and Bill both wrapped protective arms around her and he quickly shut up. It went from looking at her friend from LA to looking into the eyes of a man who tried to kill her. "Oh, come on," Hermione told her friends, "Let's go find the others."

"Keep that big bushy head down, Granger," Draco sneered at her.

"Come _on_," pushing Harry and Ron away, Hermione turned back to Draco. She heard the sneer in his tone, but she saw the fear in his eyes. Leaning in, she softly hissed at him, "Tell Daddy that I'm looking forward to seeing him again. And this time I won't just leave him paralyzed in a cemetery."

The fear flashed in Draco's eyes and Hermione knew that he understood what she was talking about. Smirking the way that Reid taught her to, she chuckled at the bump forming in Draco's throat and she moved away from him. Running after Harry and Ron, Hermione's mind stayed back at those trees. She needed to call Reid quickly; she needed to tell him that there was still hope for his brother. Draco warned her; he wanted her to leave – he knew that his father them were searching the camping grounds for her, and he was warning her to protect herself and get out of there quickly. Normally his remark about her hair would cause her blood to boil, but this time it made her smile. Draco was letting Hermione know that the Death Eaters knew her hair; they would be looking for anyone with brown bushy hair then shoot the killing curse at them.

Draco Malfoy was protecting Hermione Granger.

**Okay so once again: THANK YOU GUYS! I honestly didn't think that that much people would like this story. When I first wrote it, I was expecting about 10 favorites and no more than like 5 reviews, but you guys surprised me! It turns out that I'm not the only one who loves **_**The Covenant/Harry Potter/Angel **_**and thinks that its brilliant when you put them all together(:**

**The first chapter for the sequel should be posted up by now, but I'm not sure because it says the whole '6-8 hour thing for it to show up,' but I posted it already, so make sure to go read that(: -**_**A Brothers War**_

_***a quick little disclaimer: there are some parts in this chapter that I took directly from the book, even if I did swtich it up a bit there are some things that are strictly taken from the book, some that have been played with, and the rest that I created: if you recognize anything then I obviously do not own it!(:**_


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